Pakistan rejects ‘misleading’ Indian media reports on diplomat’s visa

Islamabad has asked Delhi to nominate an officer with seniority commensurate with downgraded diplomatic ties: FO

ISLAMABAD:

While responding to media queries regarding the visa matter of a senior Indian diplomat, the Ministry of Foreign Affair (MoFa) on Sunday said that leaking misleading information and twisting facts was not only contrary to diplomatic norms but also not helpful in the conduct of diplomatic relations.

"The news in certain sections of Indian media, quoting sources in the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, regarding assignment visa for senior Indian diplomat Jayant Khobragade proposed as Charge d’ Affaires at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, is misleading," Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said in a statement.

He said that following India’s illegal and unilateral actions of August 5, 2019 in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Pakistan took a number of steps, including the downgrading of diplomatic relations with India. "The purpose of downgrading the relations was to register Pakistan’s strong protest and condemnation of India’s illegal, inhuman and unacceptable actions in IIOJK," he added.

Zahid said that Pakistan believes that by proposing a senior diplomat, who has already served as ambassador in another post, India was trying to circumvent the effect of downgrading of diplomatic relations, which is obviously not in line with Pakistan’s decision.

"However, keeping in view the diplomatic norms, Pakistan has counselled India to nominate an officer with seniority commensurate with Pakistan’s decision of downgrading the diplomatic relations."

Responding to the veiled threats in Indian media reports that the issue of grant of assignment visa to Jayant Khobragade will “further destabilise” India-Pakistan relations, the FO spokesperson said that the relations between India and Pakistan are inextricably linked to the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.

He said that just and lasting solution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute as critical for durable peace and stability in South Asia. Accordingly, India is once again reminded of its international obligations with regard to the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

"India must listen to the voices of the Kashmiri people and the world community," he added.