Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Thursday said that the whole world knows about interference of India inside Pakistani territory and that the innocent people of the country continue to suffer from Indian-sponsored and Indian-financed terrorism.

Speaking at the weekly news briefing in Islamabad, Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria said that capture of Kulbhushan Yadav in Pakistan was the biggest evidence regarding involvement of India in Pakistan. “The government has repeatedly registered its concern over use of Afghan soil against Pakistan with ample indications of Indian involvement. The RSS and other fascist and terrorist organizations such as Abhinav Bharat, etc, have been found involved in staging terrorist attacks on Indian soil while blaming it on others. Let us not forget that the Samjhauta Express terrorist attack of 2007 was planned and carried out by Swami Assemanand, an RSS activist, who also admitted that Col Purohit, then a serving Indian Army officer, was also involved in it,” he said.

The spokesperson said Pakistan strongly condemned the killing of innocent and defenseless Kashmiris in Occupied Kashmir. “We call upon India to stop bloodshed and the ongoing brutalities in IoK,” he said, and added that the Kashmiris should be given the right to self-determination according to the charter of the United Nation Security Council resolutions.

Zakaria further said that discrimination and mistreatment of minorities, especially Muslims, in India had become order of the day. He said Pakistan has urged the United Nations and the international community to take notice of the grave human rights violations by Indian forces in the Occupied Kashmir.

Zakaria also expressed government’s concerns regarding Jinnah House in Mumbai, stating that the Indian government needs to respect the ‘importance’ the house holds for Pakistan. “We have clarified our position on the Jinnah House matter to the Indian government,” the spokesman added.

On Monday, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, had demanded that the residence be demolished and a cultural centre built in its place. Lodha, who is a property magnate in Mumbai, said, “The Jinnah residence in South Mumbai was the place from where the conspiracy of partition was hatched. Jinnah House is a symbol of the partition. The structure should be demolished.”

The demand came in the wake of the Indian Parliament passing controversial amendments to the Enemy Property Act, 1968 earlier this month that are expected to pave the way for seizure of properties held by people who fled the country.

To a question about Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United States, the spokesperson said no ambassador had diplomatic immunity in his home country, and that Hussain Haqqani was no exception to that rule. Refusing to answer further questions on Haqqani, the spokesman said, “The country’s visa policy is made by the interior ministry. Any question related to Hussain Haqqani and visa policies should be directed towards the interior ministry.”

Speaking on the issue of cross-border terrorism, Zakaria highlighted the importance of border management with Afghanistan. “Better cross-border management can prevent the Pak-Afghan border from becoming a source of terrorism. Pakistan and Afghanistan must work together in this regard.”

Answering another question, Nafees Zakaria said Pakistan had joined the Saudi-led Islamic military alliance and this development had taken place after agreement on the ‘terms of reference’.

Answering a question about General (r) Raheel Sharif heading the 39-nation military alliance, Zakaria said that he has seen the statement made by the defence minister. ‘I don’t think after what has been said by him and the things which have been discussed in parliament, I have anything to add,” he said.

Replying to another question, the spokesperson said the China’s interests in Pakistan are related to sustainable development. He said that China was one of the oldest and time-tested friends of Pakistan, adding that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would bring positive change in the entire region.