ISLAMABAD: India should stop dragging Pakistan into its electoral debate and win victories on own strength rather than fabricated conspiracies, which are utterly baseless and irresponsible, stated the Foreign Office on Monday. The statement was posted on Twitter by FO Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal. The issue stems from an ongoing bitter political mudslinging between India’s two biggest political parties: the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress. According to NDTV, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at a rally on Sunday that Pakistan was trying to influence the assembly elections in Gujarat, linking the matter to a dinner hosted by Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar earlier this week, which was also attended by Pakistani officials. Modi had alleged that a former Pakistan Army officer had allegedly supported senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel for becoming the chief minister of Gujarat. The Congress slammed Modi’s remarks as “highly irresponsible and outrageous” and had demanded an apology. Published in Daily Times, December 12th 2017.