No decision on Nawaz visit to India taken: FO

Shakil Afridi's detention is Pakistan’s business and Pakistan will decide how to handle it, said spokesperson.

ISLAMABAD: The foreign office on Thursday said that no decision had been taken on an invitation extended to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to attend the inauguration ceremony of the new Indian Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi.

Speaking to the media during the weekly briefing, the foreign office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said that the invitation was delivered by the Indian High Commissioner on Wednesday afternoon. She added that whether the Premier would attend the ceremony or not will be decided soon.

Responding to a question whether there was any precedent of Pakistani prime minister or head of state attending the swearing-in ceremony of Indian prime minister, the spokesperson said, “as for previous practice, I do not recall any visits of this nature being exchanged."

Afghan president Hamid Karzai, Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse, Maldives president Abdulla Yameen, Mauritius prime minister Navin Ramgoolam, Nepal's premier Sushil Koirala and Bangladesh's speaker Dr Shirin Chaudhry have confirmed their attendance at the inauguration.

On a question whether government sees early resumption of Composite Dialogue between India and Pakistan once Modi takes over in India, given the harsh comments by BJP leadership regarding Pakistan during election campaign, Aslam said, “we hope that when the new government takes over, the kind of atmosphere that prevailed during the election rallies will be left behind and we will get down to the business of states craft.”

We expect that when the new government takes over in India, realising the importance of peaceful neighbourhood the dialogue process between Pakistan and India would resume and that will be a meaningful constructive one with a view to resolving the outstanding disputes between our two countries so that this region can have durable peace, said the spokesperson.

We expect this dialogue to be uninterrupted and uninterruptible, hoped Aslam.

Responding to question whether the issues like terrorism, Kashmir and Siachen will be discussed if a meeting between Nawaz and Modi takes place, the spokesperson said issues related to the disputes; Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek, Water and others will be discussed when leaders of Pakistan and India meet. Further, trade, economic relations, transnational crime, terrorism and people to people contact can come up for discussion.

Commenting on what would on the table during the composite dialogue, Aslam said there are issues that both sides would like to bring to the table.

“Unless, we have the opportunity to sit across the table and discuss Indian allegations and evidence for those allegations and we are able to share our information and our concerns, there will be no forward movement. We need to address the more fundamental issues between us. The logic would suggest that we talk to each other to resolve all these issues,” said Aslam.

In response to a question the foreign office spokesperson dispelled the notion that Balochistan issue has been the most important issue between Pakistan and India, adding that Balochistan is not an issue between Pakistan and India.

“What was discussed in past were our concerns and information regarding Indian support to some banned organisations. That has been the context,” said Aslam.

Visa issue of India journalists

On a question regarding Indian journalists who were asked to leave the country, after authorities refused to extend their visas, the spokesperson said it was not the decision of ministry of foreign affairs, and this question should be asked to the ministry of information.

She pointed out that while there are normally two Indian journalists in Islamabad, there is no Pakistani Journalist based in India. The Ministry of Information would be able to comment on that as well, but even when Pakistani journalists are stationed in Delhi, they are not invited to MEA briefings.

“On the other hand, we do not discriminate against Indian journalists based in Pakistan; they are part of the media corps here. They have as much access to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as any other journalist,” the spokesperson added.

Kidnapping of Chinese tourist

Commenting on the kidnapping of Chinese tourist from DI Khan area, the spokesperson said that the tourist was biking in the area and the government is making all out efforts for his early recovery.

The spokesperson also condemned the recent attack in Xinjiang, China, in which 31 people were killed.

“We condemn this terrorist act perpetrated in the Peoples Republic of China, a close friend of Pakistan, in strongest possible terms. We empathize with the people of China. We, as always, stand with China at this time,” said Aslam.

Shakil Afridi case 

Commenting on US State Department’s Spokesperson statement terming Dr Shakil Afridi’s detention “unwarranted and unjust”, the foreign office spokesperson said Afridi is a Pakistani citizen and he violated Pakistani law.

She added that his detention is Pakistan’s business and Pakistan will decide how to handle it.

FBI agent's release

Responding to a question whether there was any verbal agreement between the Foreign Office of Pakistan and the US Embassy as the FBI agent who was arrested from Karachi was released and even the case against him was discharged, Aslam said that he was released by the court on the basis information provided by the ministry of Interior to the court.

Commenting on his purpose of stay in Pakistan, she said that the agent had been a given visa by the Pakistani embassy in Washington for a temporary assignment at the US Embassy in Islamabad.

Sartaj Aziz’s visit to UAE

Giving details about the recent visit of Advisor to the Prime Minister on National Security & Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, the foreign office spokesperson said that Aziz visited Abu Dhabi on the invitation of Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.

She added that during their bilateral meeting at Abu Dhabi, the two leaders discussed bilateral relations and ways and means to further strengthen these ties, especially in the economic field. UAE Foreign Minister welcomed Pakistan’s commitment to provide manpower to the UAE to support the massive infrastructure development expected to take place for EXPO 2020.

The advisor also handed over invitation letters from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum to visit Pakistan.