Indian silence on train attack points to its involvement: FO

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Thursday said its embassies around the world had taken up India’s involvement in the abominable Jaffar Express train attack in Balochistan on March 11 and it continues to highlight India’s role but what was also important was that unlike most world capitals and the United Nations, India never condemned the attack.

“Indian involvement is clear. They have been involved in terrorism in Pakistan. And secondly, it’s not just Pakistan. They have been trying to destabilize the entire region, all South Asian countries. And they also have been running, a global assassination campaign sponsored from their country, and their involvement is very clear to us. Our embassies are active on this. We continue to highlight it. And you may also have noticed that India never condemned the Jafar Express attack. That is also a point worth noting,” said the Foreign Office spokesperson.

He also expressed his alarm about the frequency of Indian leadership’s unwarranted assertions about Jammu and Kashmir which had increased. “India’s fictitious narrative of victimhood cannot hide its involvement in fomenting terrorism on Pakistan’s soil and the state-sanctioned oppression in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK). Instead of blaming others, India should reflect on its own record of orchestrating targeted assassinations, subversion and terrorism in foreign territories,” he pointed out.

Repetition of baseless claims, he stressed, could not deny the fact that Jammu and Kashmir was an internationally recognized disputed territory whose final status was to be determined by its people through a UN-supervised plebiscite, as stipulated in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. The spokesperson also sent a reminder to Delhi that it was India that took Jammu and Kashmir issue to the United Nations in 1948. “Today, it has no right to blame the Security Council and its erstwhile members for the resolutions that were subsequently adopted,” he added.

Pakistan has always advocated constructive engagement and result-oriented dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues, including the core dispute of Jammu and Kashmir. However, peace and stability in South Asia has remained hostage to India’s rigid approach and hegemonic ambitions.

He was asked to comment on the response from the US State Department in which to a question about PTI leader Imran Khan, the US spokesperson said the US did not interfere into the internal matters of other countries. “I have been repeating that non-interference in internal affairs of each other is the foundational element of inter-state relations and it is the government’s policy and position for all countries. So, we welcome reiteration of this principle,” said the spokesperson.

To a query, the spokesperson said he had no foreknowledge or information of a visit by Pakistanis to Israel.

Commenting on Pakistan’s policy on Afghan refugees, the spokesperson said they were not bound to consult UNHCR in this regard. “Pakistan is not a member of the Refugee Convention. So, anything we have done for the Afghan refugees was done voluntarily for the past 50 years. With regard to international obligations, we have fulfilled more than our share, by offering this kind of hospitality to Afghans and we continue to welcome them. But they should have Pakistani visas on their passport, and then they will be more than welcome. Also, there is a large body of Afghans living here with proper documentation,” he said.

Commenting on the opening of Torkham border on Wednesday, the spokesperson said by Friday the pedestrian traffic will also be allowed and Pakistan’s basic requirement of no construction by Afghan side inside Pakistani territory has been met. “The current arrangement has been arrived at through mutual consultations, and this is a good, positive development which is up to 15th April. By that time we expect that further negotiations and consultations would be held to put in place a permanent system which could ensure continuous operation of the Torkham border seamlessly. All channels and contacts have been used, and we think it’s a positive development. We want to make it sustainable and permanent,” he said.