Families of Samjhauta attack victims await justice: FO

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan on Thursday said the families of Samjhauta Express terrorist attack victims were still awaiting justice despite lapse of so many years.
When asked about the registration of case by India against Hurriyat leader Asiya Andrabi for singing Pakistani national song during the weekly news briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said the Kashmiri people had a special love for Pakistan.
“The registration of case against the Hurriyat leader reinforces the fact that the people in Occupied Kashmir are being subjected to suppression and denied the right to express their views and sentiments.
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The spokesperson said Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory.
“Future of the territory is to be decided by the people of Jammu and Kashmir through holding of a free and fair plebiscite as guaranteed by the UN Security Council resolutions,” she said.
On the Samjhauta train attack case, the spokesperson said the bereaved Pakistani families were still awaiting justice despite lapse of so many years.
Answering a question, Tasnim Aslam said the Chinese president would visit Pakistan.
The dates of the visit would be announced simultaneously in Beijing and Islamabad.
  During the visit, she added, the two sides would review the whole gamut of bilateral relations as well as regional and international matters of common interests.
She said the two countries would also sign some important agreements in order to further cement the friendly and strategic relations.
In her opening remarks, the spokesperson said an agreement on transfer of offenders existed between Pakistan and Thailand since December 2009.
“As per this agreement, a large number of our prisoners have been deported back to Pakistan over the years to complete their prison sentence here.
Majority of the Pakistani prisoners in Thailand are serving sentences on drug trafficking charges with lengthy sentences (20-40 years or even life).
In all cases proper procedures as laid down in the agreement and in consultation with the Ministry of Interior are followed.
”She further said that interior ministry was informed well in advance of the decision of the Thai government to deport eight prisoners.
  It was only after obtaining the approval of the Ministry of Interior that these prisoners were deported and after completion of all codal formalities.