ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday categorically rejected the Indian allegations that Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI is trying to recruit and train militants to carry out attacks across the border in the Indian state of Punjab.
On Wednesday, Indian Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde accused Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency of pressuring Sikh militant leaders to target Indian Punjab and other parts of the country.
“There has been some significant development on the Sikh militancy front,” Shinde said in New Delhi.
“Its commanders based in Pakistan are under pressure from ISI to further ISI’s terror plans not only in Punjab but also in other parts of the country,” alleged the Indian minister. “The Sikh youths are being trained in ISI facilities in Pakistan.”
In his weekly media briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, the foreign office Spokesman Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said that the statement of the Indian home minister is uncalled for and counter- productive. He said this could undermine efforts aimed at normalizing the bilateral relations.
The spokesman said that Pakistan itself is the victim of terrorism and has rendered matchless sacrifices in the war against terrorism. He called upon New Delhi to share the evidence before hurling any accusations.
Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said the timing of this statement is not good as the new leadership in Pakistan has expressed its desire to normalize relations with the neighbor. It is time to focus on building the relations and resolving all the outstanding disputes including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
Responding to a question about drone attacks‚ the foreign office spokesman declared them as counter- productive and in violation of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He said the newly elected Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has articulated Pakistan’s position and called for an end to the strikes.
He said our foreign policy is based on national interests and reflects the aspirations of the people of the country. He said the newly elected government‚ in its guidelines‚ has also laid emphasis on peaceful neighborhood‚ economic diplomacy and energy sector.
When asked about the protest demonstration taken out close to the Pakistani embassy in Kabul‚ Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry expressed concern on it and said that under the Vienna convention‚ it is the responsibility of each country to provide full security to the diplomatic staff.
About the expulsion of Pakistanis from Saudi Arabia‚ the spokesman said Pakistani mission there is providing all the necessary guidance to the Pakistani workers. He said we have engaged legal counsels at the deportation centers to facilitate the Pakistani workers.
To a question‚ the spokesman said that the ambassadors in UK‚ UAE and Muscat have been asked to relinquish the charge.
About the visit of the US Secretary of State John Kerry‚ he said it is on the cards but the date has yet not been fixed.
DND
