Action against MQM if allegations ‘authenticated’, says FO

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that the government has started investigations into the recent allegations by a BBC report which claimed that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was receiving funds and training from India, and action would certainly be taken once allegations are “authenticated”.
For the Foreign Affairs Ministry, this is a rare instance when both Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry and the spokesman at the ministry commented on what is purely a political matter.
In the past though questions about the MQM because of its British links were raised at the ministry, but officials have refrained from commenting. Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had also asked for a report from the Interior Ministry on the matter.
“Institutions relating to national security are handling this matter and are collecting the facts. Pakistan reserves the right to raise this matter on every international forum once we have gathered credible information,” Chaudhry commented during a briefing to Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The spokesman at the weekly media briefing said, “We have taken note of the media reports. Our concerned authorities are looking into the matter. It is not appropriate for me to comment on media reports right away as they could be speculative.”
The spokesman came down hard on India and its attempts to politicise what he said was a purely technical issue at the UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee. He said that India’s recent attempts are politically motivated attempts to question Pakistan’s commitment to the UN Security Council’s decisions.
In fact, Pakistan supports and respects decisions of the Security Council. “A recent complaint by India was discussed in one of the regular meetings of the Sanctions Committee on purely technical grounds and the Committee decided not to take any action on the Indian allegations,” he said.
In the background is India’s attempt to seek sanctions against Pakistan after alleged Mumbai attack mastermind and LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi was released on bail.However, China blocked India’s attempts in a UN Sanctions Committee against Pakistan. “India has been making attempts to politicise the work of this technical body of the UN Security Council by making unfounded allegations about Pakistan’s non-compliance with the UN sanctions”, the spokesman noted but did not at any point name Lakhvi.
He said that the overall aim of the 1267 sanctions regime is to address the threat posed by Al Qaida while Pakistan is fully complying with its international obligations with regard to implementation of these sanctions.
“Pakistan’s numerous efforts including past as well as ongoing extensive law enforcement operations are a major factor in weakening Al Qaida in the region. No other country can match this level of contribution, cooperation and sacrifice towards the objective of the Security Council sanctions”, he added.
The UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee oversees the implementation of the 1267 sanctions regime. The Committee is supported in its work by Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team (commonly known as ‘Monitoring Team’), which has made numerous visits to Pakistan over the past several years.
The Monitoring Team most recently visited Pakistan in January 2015 and issued a very positive report on Pakistan’s numerous measures towards implementation of the 1267 sanctions regime.
“India, on the other hand, as you are aware, is in violation of various resolutions of the Security Council, particularly on Jammu and Kashmir dispute”, said the spokesman.Never the less as India’s continues to attack Pakistan at the UN, recently in Dhaka and at home Pakistan reminded New Delhi that this was against the norms of interstate relations and conduct.
Taking the moral high ground the spokesman said, “I wish to underscore that peace, security and stability of our region depends on peace, security and stability of the countries comprising the region. Pakistan fully understands and appreciates this. We, therefore, are committed to a policy of good neighborly relations. We hope India would partner with Pakistan in this mission.”
Pakistan rejected recent allegations that the ISI was behind the recent attack on the Afghan Parliament. “Pakistan is a well-wisher of Afghanistan. We are committed to our relations with Afghanistan. Both sides have been interacting at the highest level. We have said in the past and I wish to reiterate that enemies of Afghanistan are enemies of Pakistan. One of the principles of our relations with Afghanistan is that we will not allow our soil to be used against each other”, responded the spokesman to a query.
He said that Pakistan was cooperating with Afghanistan on counter-terrorism and had agreed to take coordinated actions in this regard. “Terrorist attacks have taken place in Pakistan as well but our cooperation with Afghanistan has continued as it is in the interest of the peoples of the two countries”, he added.
Also the spokesman said that Pakistan will continue to facilitate an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process. “The Adviser said that Pakistan had facilitated the first meeting. The details of the second meeting are being discussed by the Afghans themselves. However, as before, Pakistan will facilitate the meeting”, he said.