Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office has said that investigations into Quetta attack were underway and Indian spy agency RAW’s involvement could not be ruled out in the incident. These views were expressed by Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria in the weekly media briefing here on Thursday. In a response to a question he said that almost the entire international community condemned Quetta terrorist attack. In the past, it was proved that involvement of foreign hand in the subversive activities in Pakistan was there.

He said that Indian spy Kulbhushan Yadev had accepted his and his network’s role in terrorist activities in Pakistan. On RAW’s alleged operations from Afghanistan and Iran, he said that many times Pakistani high officials released a statement in which attention was drawn towards the fact that foreign soil was being used against Pakistan.

On summoning Pakistan’s High Commissioner by Indian external affairs ministry on alleged cross border infiltration, Zakaria said that “We have rejected the blame of infiltration on Line of Control (LoC). Pakistan is herself a victim of terrorism and lost thousands of civilian and military personnel’s lives in war against terrorism” he added by saying that Pakistan was taking action against terrorism.

A spokesman said that more than 7,000 people were injured in recent uprising in Kashmir. India was replacing the police with army in Indian held Kashmir to suppress Kashmiris. He said that Pakistan had taken up Kashmir issue on various international forums. Pakistan had demanded sending the United Nations Human Rights Council fact-finding mission to Indian held Kashmir.

He said Indian forces bluntly violated human rights there. He said Pakistan expected the international community to raise more hue and cry against Indian brutalities and use of force in IHK.

He said that the matter of issuing a visa to American citizen Mathew Barett by Pakistani Consulate in Boston was under investigation and Foreign Office and Ministry of Interior were in contact in this regard. While responding question on the recent hanging of Jamait-Islami leader in Bangladesh, spokesperson said that Pakistan in the past had issued clear cut statements.

On Punjab government’s helicopter, he said that this incident happened on 4th August as MI 17 helicopter routed from Afghanistan, via Uzbekistan to Russia, coincidently disappeared in Logar province of Afghanistan. Pakistan was in contact with Afghan authorities for safe recovery of six Pakistani and one Russian crew member. Afghan authorities assured safe recovery of all crew members. He said for the journey of the helicopters , Punjab government had adopted all usual prior flight procedures. On Afghan President Ghani’s statement against Pakistan, Zakaria said that these hostile statements were unfortunate and unhelpful, warning they would serve those elements who did not want to see peace in Afghanistan.