FO denies writing letter to UAE to evict Arshad Sharif

Spokesperson terms reports ‘baseless and fabricated’; asks to wait for probe report

ISLAMABAD:

The Foreign Office on Friday strongly dismissed reports that Pakistani authorities had written a letter to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) seeking eviction of journalist Arshad Sharif who was shot dead in Kenya on Sunday.

FO spokesperson Asim Iftikhar, while speaking at a weekly media briefing, denied the “disinformation on social media” and said there was no such letter to the knowledge of the FO.

“We have seen such reports, spreading disinformation on social media as well, where some people were suggesting that there was a letter and it was allegedly signed by the foreign minister,” the FO spokesperson said.

He asserted that he would like to state it very clearly that this was “absolutely baseless” and that there was no truth in it whatsoever. “And even this matter does not relate to the foreign ministry,” he added.

FO Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar termed the claims “baseless and fabricated”, saying it was essential that the journalist’s murder should be probed to establish the truth. “We should wait for the investigation report of Kenyan and Pakistani inquiry committees,” he added.

Arshad Sharif was murdered on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya in what the local police claimed was a case of “mistaken identity.” However, the Kenyan media has been reluctant to buy the police’s version and has also questioned the mysterious circumstances under which he was murdered.

There were reports that the UAE authorities, at the request of the Pakistani government, had allegedly forced Sharif to leave the gulf country. The UAE move, it is said, left the slain journalist with no other option but to seek asylum in Kenya.

However, the government has denied such reports and any involvement in the entire matter.

In an extraordinary turn of events on Thursday, Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt General Nadeem Anjum joined chief military spokesperson Lt Genera Babar Iftikhar to dismiss allegations that the establishment was behind his murder.

Instead, the top army officials questioned on whose direction did the senior journalist – who fled the country after he was charged with sedition – leave the country when he was under no threat in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Office spokesperson said Pakistan had seen India’s negative reaction to Pakistan’s delisting by FATF on 21 October 2022.

“Pakistan was removed from FATF’s grey list by a consensus decision of FATF’s plenary on completion of all substantive, technical, and procedural requirements of FATF and we have earned delisting on technical grounds. We will continue our cooperation with FATF for further improvement of our AML/CFT systems and for our own good. We have time and again highlighted that our actions under AML/CFT regime are in compliance with our international obligations and commitments,” Asim said.

He added that India was isolated in FATF due to its anti-Pakistan and irresponsible posture that has found no takers or backers. “We have repeatedly brought to the attention of FATF India’s breach of confidentiality requirements and they have taken serious note of it. Pakistan’s success testifies to the fact that India’s politicization efforts in FATF have eventually failed.”

“Let me also emphasize here that India with a tainted track record in AML/CFT domain is in no position to define “global interest” and should desist from rendering unsolicited advice for Pakistan on this account. A country with proven credentials of state-sponsored terrorism in IIOJK and against Pakistan needs to mend its own ways before pointing fingers at others.”

Rejects India's baseless propaganda

Separately, Pakistan categorically rejected India’s baseless propaganda directed against Pakistan at the meeting of the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), hosted in Mumbai on Friday.

“It is regrettable that India chose to misuse an important Committee of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to mislead the international community about Pakistan’s role in countering global terrorism. India’s shenanigans undermine the purposes and mandate of the Committee and are reprehensible,” a foreign office statement said.

Contrary to Indian claims, it is India that has remained non-cooperative with Pakistan and has deliberately held back judicial proceedings of the Mumbai attack case, the statement added.

The statement said the Indian government should be held accountable for attempting to unjustifiably prolong the legal proceedings of the Mumbai case by employing a range of dilatory tactics.

“India’s malfeasant intervention in today’s CTC meeting in Mumbai yet again corroborates Pakistan’s long-standing concerns that India is only interested in politicising international counter-terrorism forums to malign Pakistan. India must remember that the Mumbai attacks case is in the court of law and rather than relying on anyone’s whims or wishes, it would require irrefutable and legally tenable evidence for efficient disposal.”

The Foreign Office said Pakistan’s role in the global fight against terrorism is acknowledged by the international community despite India’s utmost efforts to cast aspersions on Pakistan’s intent and efforts.

India, conversely, has been involved in supporting terrorism against Pakistan using its own soil and territories of other countries. Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav caught red-handed in Pakistan is living proof of Indian state involvement in sabotage and terror activities inside Pakistan. Indian collaboration with TTP and other international terrorist organisations are also well known.

It further said India’s hypocrisy is also evident from its state-sponsored terrorism in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK), where 900,000 Indian security personnel continue to terrorise, torture and torment innocent Kashmiris with impunity. At the same time, the world is well aware of the “saffron terror” orchestrated and unleashed by the BJP-RSS zealots against Muslims and other minorities in India.

Pakistan also urged the United Nations and members of the Security Council to remain wary of India’s propensity to engage in baseless and misleading propaganda and its blatant attempts to hijack serious international platforms in order to fulfil its own nefarious agenda.

The international community also has an abiding responsibility to ensure justice for over 90,000 victims of state terrorism in IIOJK.