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ISLAMABAD: The New Year’s beginning was marked with mounting Pak-India hostility after Islamabad on Thursday rejected New Delhi’s concerns over the grant of bail to alleged mastermind behind Mumbai attacks and expressed its dismay over not sharing on part of India the findings of Samjhota Express terrorist attack.
“The investigations and the confession of the mastermind of the attack, Swami Aseemanad, pointed to the involvement of the Indian military officers and some organisations linked to major political parties. Yet, Aseemanad was granted bail on August 28, 2014,” Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam responded to a query in the weekly media briefing.
She was asked to comment on the summoning of Islamabad’s envoy to New Delhi Abdul Basit by the Indian External Affairs Ministry regarding the suspension of the arrest warrant of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, the alleged mastermind behind Mumbai attacks, by a Pakistani court.
“The case is sub judice. It is unfortunate that an unnecessary hype was created on grant of bail to Lakhvi. These are legal matters and media trials serve no purpose. We should wait for the outcome of the case,” the FO spokesperson said.
A federal capital-based anti-terrorism court (ATC) had granted bail to Lakhvi in Mumbai attacks case but the law enforcement agencies detained him under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO). Lakhvi moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against his arrest and the court suspended the notification of his detention. He was then detained by the Islamabad Police in an abduction case. The federal government has moved Supreme Court against the IHC ruling in Lakhvi’s favour.
“I may also draw your attention to a totally different situation with regard to the Samjhota Express terrorist attack in which at least 50 Pakistanis were killed. Although, Samjhota Express terrorist attack happened more than two years before Mumbai attack, it is very disappointing that India has not shared findings of Samjhota Express terrorist attack investigations despite assurances at the highest level. We do not draw comparisons and do not take a similar approach. The Mumbai case is being pursued vigorously by prosecution,” Tasnim Aslam stated in the press briefing.
The comments came a day after the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) targeted five personnel of Chenab Rangers at Shakargarh sector, on Wednesday. Two Pakistani soldiers lost their lives in the incident. They had crossed the Line of Control (LoC) to attend a flag meeting on the Indian BSF’s call. Pakistan summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner KP Singh to protest over the incident.
“We have demanded that India investigate the incident and give exemplary punishments to those responsible for it,” the FO spokesperson said.
She said that the scheduled foreign secretary-level talks between Islamabad and New Delhi were cancelled by the latter. “We believe now the onus is on India to take further initiative,” she added.
The spokesperson informed that United States (US) Secretary of State John Kerry would visit Pakistan this month for Pakistan-US strategic dialogue.
Pakistan remains committed to the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project and both sides remain bilaterally engaged to move this project forward. We have a very clear commitment regarding the IP project and both sides are in contact and meetings and discussions are taking place on regular basis,” she said.
According to the FO representative, the improvement in Pakistan’s diplomatic ties with Afghanistan, Iran, China, Russia and the US and grant of the GSP Plus status by the European Union (EU) to Pakistan were Islamabad’s major foreign policy achievements in the year 2014.
Regarding challenges, Tasnim Aslam said that FO succeeded in improving the perception regarding security situation in Pakistan and told the international community that it had been taking a number of steps to improve security and fight extremism and terrorism.
Meanwhile, Pakistan and India on Thursday exchanged the lists of their nuclear facilities and civilian prisoners detained in the two countries, under respective agreements. The lists of nuclear sites were exchanged under the Agreement on Prohibition of Attacks against Nuclear Installations and Facilities between Pakistan and India signed on December 31, 1988.
Pakistan questions progress in Samjhota Express attack probe
“The investigations and the confession of the mastermind of the attack, Swami Aseemanad, pointed to the involvement of the Indian military officers and some organisations linked to major political parties. Yet, Aseemanad was granted bail on August 28, 2014,” Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam responded to a query in the weekly media briefing.
She was asked to comment on the summoning of Islamabad’s envoy to New Delhi Abdul Basit by the Indian External Affairs Ministry regarding the suspension of the arrest warrant of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, the alleged mastermind behind Mumbai attacks, by a Pakistani court.
“The case is sub judice. It is unfortunate that an unnecessary hype was created on grant of bail to Lakhvi. These are legal matters and media trials serve no purpose. We should wait for the outcome of the case,” the FO spokesperson said.
A federal capital-based anti-terrorism court (ATC) had granted bail to Lakhvi in Mumbai attacks case but the law enforcement agencies detained him under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO). Lakhvi moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against his arrest and the court suspended the notification of his detention. He was then detained by the Islamabad Police in an abduction case. The federal government has moved Supreme Court against the IHC ruling in Lakhvi’s favour.
“I may also draw your attention to a totally different situation with regard to the Samjhota Express terrorist attack in which at least 50 Pakistanis were killed. Although, Samjhota Express terrorist attack happened more than two years before Mumbai attack, it is very disappointing that India has not shared findings of Samjhota Express terrorist attack investigations despite assurances at the highest level. We do not draw comparisons and do not take a similar approach. The Mumbai case is being pursued vigorously by prosecution,” Tasnim Aslam stated in the press briefing.
The comments came a day after the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) targeted five personnel of Chenab Rangers at Shakargarh sector, on Wednesday. Two Pakistani soldiers lost their lives in the incident. They had crossed the Line of Control (LoC) to attend a flag meeting on the Indian BSF’s call. Pakistan summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner KP Singh to protest over the incident.
“We have demanded that India investigate the incident and give exemplary punishments to those responsible for it,” the FO spokesperson said.
She said that the scheduled foreign secretary-level talks between Islamabad and New Delhi were cancelled by the latter. “We believe now the onus is on India to take further initiative,” she added.
The spokesperson informed that United States (US) Secretary of State John Kerry would visit Pakistan this month for Pakistan-US strategic dialogue.
Pakistan remains committed to the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project and both sides remain bilaterally engaged to move this project forward. We have a very clear commitment regarding the IP project and both sides are in contact and meetings and discussions are taking place on regular basis,” she said.
According to the FO representative, the improvement in Pakistan’s diplomatic ties with Afghanistan, Iran, China, Russia and the US and grant of the GSP Plus status by the European Union (EU) to Pakistan were Islamabad’s major foreign policy achievements in the year 2014.
Regarding challenges, Tasnim Aslam said that FO succeeded in improving the perception regarding security situation in Pakistan and told the international community that it had been taking a number of steps to improve security and fight extremism and terrorism.
Meanwhile, Pakistan and India on Thursday exchanged the lists of their nuclear facilities and civilian prisoners detained in the two countries, under respective agreements. The lists of nuclear sites were exchanged under the Agreement on Prohibition of Attacks against Nuclear Installations and Facilities between Pakistan and India signed on December 31, 1988.
Pakistan questions progress in Samjhota Express attack probe
