Pakistan rejects allegations of infiltration in IHK

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Thursday rejected the Indian allegations of infiltration in Indian held Kashmir (IHK) and ruled out the role of any Pakistani involved in terrorism in India.

With dozens of lives being lost in one day in Quetta, the spokesman at the Foreign Office, during the weekly media briefing, said that while investigations are under way, involvement of Indian spy agency RAW cannot be ruled out.

The spokesman pointed out that it is just not Pakistan which has proof of Indian involvement but there are statements on record made by a foreign country’s very high officials who have said that our neighbour has been financing instability in Pakistan from the soil of another neighbour.

“As you are aware that Indian intelligence agencies have remained involved in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan, especially in Balochistan and Karachi.

The confessional statement by a serving naval officer, who was apprehended by our law enforcement agencies, has indeed vindicated Pakistan’s claim. The confession has led to significant success in rounding up elements of the network. However, investigations are continuing. Involvement of foreign elements, working in cahoot with their local contacts in the condemnable terrorist attack in Quetta, which took a huge toll on the lives of innocent people, cannot be ruled out.”

Pakistan’s high commissioner had this week been summoned by the Indian foreign secretary and informed of a Pakistani citizen arrested for involvement in terrorist activities. Immediately, New Delhi provided counsellor access to Pakistan.

“Our statement was very clear on this issue. We strongly reject Indian claim of any cross-LoC infiltration. Pakistan remains committed to the policy of not allowing its territory for any terrorist activity against anyone. We are ourselves a victim of terrorism. I don’t need to repeat the immense losses we have suffered in terms of losses to the innocent lives of our own citizens, infrastructure and economy. No nation has suffered more. Loss of human lives runs in tens of thousands, the loss in economy is over 100 billion dollars. We are committed to eradicate terrorism from Pakistan’s soil,” he said.

Meanwhile, conflicting reports about the fate of the six-member crew of a Pakistani helicopter which crashed inside Afghanistan continued to do the rounds with the Foreign Office saying that efforts for the recovery are underway.

“As soon as there is any tangible development, we shall inform. As informed by the Afghan side, the crew members are safe. The Afghan authorities have assured that they are making efforts through the elders in the area for the recovery of all the crew members. The ministry will continue its efforts for early and safe recovery of the crew members,” the Foreign Office said.

The News learnt on good authority that negotiations which continued on Wednesday between Pakistan and ‘others’, gave Islamabad good room for optimism indicating that talks were in the final stages. There was no indication, however, if the good news pertained to only the Pakistanis as there was no mention of the Russian crew member.

However, unconfirmed reports on Thursday spoke of “The six crew members of Punjab government helicopter which crash landed in Afghanistan’s Logar province have been recovered and shifted to Pakistan safely. Quoting sources reports said the crew members were handed over to Pakistani authorities in Chitral on Thursday.”

The MI-17 helicopter was en route to Russia for routine overhauling when it crash-landed in Logar on August 04

Six crew members that included five Pakistani nationals and a Russian citizen were made hostages by the Taliban, according to media reports from foreign news agencies.

Moscow, too, which has been in touch with Afghanistan, has not commented on the fate of its citizen.

Spokesman at the Foreign Office recalled the incident by saying, “On 4 August 2016, a helicopter APBGX type MI-17 of the government of Punjab overflying Afghan aerial territory on its journey through Central Asia disappeared from the flight control system. This coincided with the reports from the Afghan media that a helicopter crash-landed in Logar province in Afghanistan and that the Pakistani crew members and a Russian navigator were taken into custody by the Taliban insurgents. The helicopter had flight clearance for the journey from the Afghan air control authorities as per usual procedure”.

Since the day of the crash, Pakistan has been in touch with Afghan and American authorities both at the diplomatic and military level but nothing has been made public. Even DG ISPR was rather quiet and did not tweet any updates as to whether all the six crew members were alive or not and whether they had been returned to Pakistan.

There are 2.6 million or more Pakistanis who are working in Saudi Arabia, while around 10,000 are facing these problems due to financial problems of private companies. In a statement, the spokesman said, “Our ambassador has visited each and every camp, our consul general has visited all the camps in Jeddah and our community welfare attaches in Jeddah and Riyadh are also regularly visiting these camps. We have tried our best and we have been negotiating and urging the companies involved. These are private companies who are facing financial difficulties because of which they are unable to pay their employees, so it has nothing to do with the government of the brotherly kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In fact, the Saudi government has extended very good cooperation to us regarding Pakistanis who are facing the difficulties. Our ambassador has met the foreign minister and the labour minister of Saudi Arabia, who have been very supportive and gave assurances to us. They have said that those Pakistanis whose contracts have expired and their contracts have not been renewed, then they don’t have to worry.

Secondly, they said that if these Pakistanis are on valid contract visas and they are not getting their pay, and they are able to find another job elsewhere in Saudi Arabia, we will have no objection in their nakhal kafala (transfer of sponsorship). Those Pakistanis who want to go back would be allowed to return. However, most Pakistanis have decided to stay back till they get their dues from their respective companies. Some of them have also filed claims in the courts.

There are other companies which are also facing these problems. Besides our Pakistani workers there are thousands of other countries’ workers who are in the same situation. The King has issued a decree for the companies to settle the dues of their employees. Just recently, the concerned minister has ordered the company to take all measures to give relief to their workers.”