Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday expressed hope that an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz would pave the way for the resumption of technical-level talks between the US and Iran under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, as it reaffirmed support for diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the West Asia crisis.
Addressing the weekly media briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Pakistan remains engaged in diplomatic efforts and supports all sincere initiatives aimed at achieving a "comprehensive, just and lasting resolution" to the conflict.
"We hope that an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz will lead to the resumption of talks between the US and Iran under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU),” he said.
The remarks came a day after Iran said that it is in the final stage of reaching an agreement with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump has also said that a deal to reopen the Strait is close. Andrabi expressed hope that an agreement on the Strait will pave the way for continuing dialogue, particularly the resumption of technical-level talks between Tehran and Washington.
He also praised Oman for its "valuable and steadfast efforts towards de-escalation", particularly in its role as a "littoral state" to the State of Hormuz.
At the same briefing, Andrabi also rejected India's remarks describing the "so-called" legislative elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as a "farce".
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday slammed Pakistan's brutal crackdown on the protesters in PoK and said the world should see through the "flimsy veneer" of Islamabad's hypocritical lecturing on human rights.
PoK has been witnessing massive protests since last month over inflated living costs, alleged administrative apathy, political discrimination and atrocities against minorities.
"This so-called local election in PoK is a complete farce. The real happening is that of public protests and wanton killings by Pakistani forces. Such hollow exercises cannot hide reality," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a regular media briefing in New Delhi.
According to the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), more than 40 people were killed during the first phase of polling in PoK on July 27, and around 400 people have died in protests since early June, allegations rejected by the Pakistan government as exaggerated.
The second phase of polling was held on August 2, while the final phase is scheduled for August 10.
According to provisional results, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has emerged as the largest party after the first two phases.
India maintains that the entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral and inalienable parts of it. New Delhi also asserts that Pakistan has been in “illegal and forcible occupation” of parts of these Union Territories.