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ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Thursday said the United States’ decision to declare Hizbul Mujahideen a terrorist outfit was disappointing.

Addressing a weekly news briefing here, Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said since Kashmir was an internationally recognised dispute with the United Nations’ resolutions pending implementation, the decision to label Hizbul Mujahideen as a terrorist group had upset Pakistan.

“On the US decision, we are disappointed in view of the fact that Kashmir is an internationally recognised dispute. Neither Indian presence in Kashmir nor its brutal actions against defenceless Kashmiris are lawful,” Zakaria said.

The 70-year-old indigenous struggle of Kashmiris in the held valley, he said, remained legitimate. “The designation of individuals or groups supporting the Kashmiri right to self-determination as terrorists is completely unjustified,” he added.

The spokesperson said the gross and systematic violation of human rights of the Kashmiri people that have been recorded and reported by independent human rights bodies was a reality.

“Over the past one year, the world has witnessed an intensification of the brutal policies of repression being pursued by Indian occupation forces. Despite this relentless state terror, the Kashmiris remain undeterred and unbowed,” he elaborated. “It is India that deserves to be held accountable for brutal use of force against Kashmiris, and for committing gross human rights violations,” he contended.

Pakistan, he said, shall continue to extend political, diplomatic and moral support for the just struggle of the Kashmiri people.

In the context of Coalition Support Fund, he said: “We have already given our view point. First, it is a reimbursement and not assistance. We have given our response as to what Pakistan is doing in the context of efforts to eradicate terrorism from its soil. Pakistan has suffered gigantic economic and financial losses but determined to eradicate terrorist elements from its roots. We have not only fought them within Pakistan, but also extended cooperation to those countries who wanted to learn from our experience in dealing with these elements.” On the issue of US-Iran nuclear deal, Zakaria said, Pakistan has consistently maintained that the Iran nuclear issue should be peacefully resolved through dialogue. As a neighbouring country, we have also reiterated that reciprocal confidence-building measures relating to Iran's nuclear programme auger well for peace and security in our region.”

About the US State Department’s Report on International Religious Freedom, he said: “the report is a regular feature and has referred to the issue of religious freedom in many countries of the world, including India, wherein there is comprehensive mention of repression of religious minorities and atrocities committed by the Hindu cow vigilantes.”

To a question on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement on Indian Independence Day that neither bullet nor abuse but embracing Kashmiris was the solution, Zakaria said, the Indian atrocities and gross violation of basic human rights of innocent Kashmiris by Indian occupation forces is an increasingly gruesome reality which speaks for itself. “PM Modi’s statement validates our stance that armed subjugation and oppression cannot wish away the indigenous struggle of the Kashmiris,” he remarked. However, he said, verbal rhetoric needs to be accompanied with actions to be meaningful. “Unfortunately we do not see that in India where Indian atrocities and genocide of Kashmiris by Indian occupation forces continues unabated even as we speak. A UN Fact-finding Mission should probe into gross human rights abuses occurring in Kashmir as was demanded not only by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights but also the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.”

He said Pakistan was proud to hoist the largest flag in South Asia on the Wagah border. Zakaria said Pakistan and India were neighbours, “and we cannot wish away this reality. The main bone of contention, he said, remained the Kashmir issue, which has to be settled peacefully through dialogue and in accordance with relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.

To a question about Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua’s visited to Kabul this week, the spokesperson said the secretary visited Kabul for bilateral political consultations on the invitation of her Afghan counterpart, which came right after she took charge this year. “So it wasn’t something sudden. The earlier round of the consultations was held in June 2016, when Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister (Afghan counterpart of FS) Hekmat Karzai visited Islamabad,” he added. During Foreign Secretary’s visit, he said, the two sides discussed a range of issues, including political, economic, trade and transit, facilitation of people-to-people contacts, border management, early repatriation of Afghan refugees and continuing efforts for achieving last peace and security in Afghanistan.

The Foreign Secretary emphasised on an Afghan-led credible peace process as Pakistan believes there’s no military solution to the Afghan conflict.

Zakaria said it was also agreed to continue engagement at all levels for bringing lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region.

He added: “Earlier exchanges and high-level contacts between Pakistan and Afghanistan were instrumental in increasing cooperation between the two sides and developing better understanding of each other’s issues.

On US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s telephone call to Foreign Minister Khawaja Mohammed Asif, he said that Tillerson congratulated Asif on the occasion of the 70th Anniversary of Pakistan’s Independence, and on assumption of the office of the FM. “He extended invitation to our Foreign Minister to visit the US, which the latter accepted,” he added.

Zakaria said Acting Assistant Secretary of State Alice Wells attended flag hoisting ceremony at Pakistan Embassy in Washington but Under Secretary of State Thomas A. Shannon also made a statement in this regard. “We have said it time and again about US recognition and acknowledgement of Pakistan’s contribution to the international efforts for countering terrorism and its sacrifices in fighting back the terrorists. The US leadership has, on many occasions, said that they attached high importance to its relations with Pakistan. We have long-standing relationship with the US, which is multi-dimensional and diverse,” the spokesperson said.

He added: “Its manifestation is the institutionalised mechanism of Strategic Dialogue at the ministerial level. Since 2014, regular meetings under the Strategic Dialogue have taken place.”

About missing Colonel Habib Zahir (Retd), the spokesperson said the Nepalese government has established an investigative team to probe the matter. “There is every likelihood that he has been taken to India,” he added.