Palestine recalls its Pakistan ambassador after India’s anger over his presence at rally with Hafiz Saeed
India reacted with anger after photos of the Palestinian ambassador to Pakistan, Walid Abu Ali, sharing the stage with Hafiz Saeed and addressing the rally in Rawalpindi were circulated on social media on Friday.
Palestine on Saturday recalled its ambassador to Pakistan after India expressed its anger and concern over his presence alongside Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed at a rally organised by extremist and radical groups.
India reacted with anger after photos of the Palestinian ambassador to Pakistan, Walid Abu Ali, sharing the stage with Saeed and addressing the rally organised by the Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) at Liaqat Bagh in Rawalpindi were circulated on social media on Friday.
“The ambassador has been recalled from Pakistan and asked to report to Ramallah,” a Palestinian official told Hindustan Times.
“Palestine is part of the world community and it is committed to fighting terrorism. This shouldn’t have happened,” the official added.
The official said a formal statement from the Palestinian foreign ministry was expected later in the day.
Indian official are also looking into reports that Iran’s envoy to Pakistan, too, was present at the rally.
India was irked by the envoy’s presence at the DPC rally because it came less than 10 days after it joined 127 other members of the United Nations to back a resolution criticising US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The countries disregarded Trump’s threat to cut aid to countries that voted for the resolution.
India and Palestine are also discussing a possible visit to Ramallah by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February – seen by some here as a conciliatory gesture in connection with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to India in January. If Modi’s visit goes ahead, it will be his first to Palestine.
India formally conveyed its concerns about Walid Abu Ali’s “association with terrorist Hafiz Saeed, who is proscribed by the United Nations”, to the Palestinian ambassador in New Delhi and to the minister of foreign affairs in Ramallah in the form of a strongly worded demarche.
A statement issued by the external affairs ministry said the Palestinian side “conveyed deep regrets over the incident and assured the government of India that they are taking serious cognisance of their ambassador’s presence” at the rally. The Palestinian side also conveyed that it “highly values its relationship with India and stands with us in the war against terrorism, and will not engage with those who commit acts of terror against India”.
The Palestinian side also sought to explain Ali’s action by saying he may have committed a mistake by attending the rally or been unaware of the people who would be present at the event.
The Indian side, however, was not convinced by this. One official pointed out, “The Palestinian envoy is no newcomer to Pakistan. He recently completed five years in his position and surely he would know who Hafiz Saeed is.”
India’s decision to back the UN resolution on Jerusalem had prompted a protest from Israel, a key ally in defence and security matters. New Delhi explained the vote by saying its position on Palestine is “independent and consistent” and “shaped by our views and interests, and not determined by any third country”.
Saeed had used the “Tahafuz Baitul Maqdas” rally to launch a broadside against India and to rake up the Kashmir issue by linking it to Palestine.
“We consider it our prime responsibility to liberate Kashmir from India. We will free Kashmir in fulfilment of Jinnah’s dream,” Saeed said, speaking in Urdu.
Saeed also referred to the controversial meeting between Kulbhushan Jadhav, an Indian national sentenced to death for alleged involvement in spying, and his wife and mother in Islamabad on December 25.
“Pakistan let the family of Kulbhushan meet him out of kindness and goodwill, but India sent them with spy devices,” he claimed.
India and Pakistan are engaged in a spat over the treatment meted out to Jadhav’s mother and wife, whose shoes were taken away for tests after Pakistani officials claimed they contained a “metal chip”. India has rubbished these claims as “absurd”.
The rally in Rawalpindi featured several jihadi leaders such as Saifullah Khalid of the Milli Muslim League, a political party formed by Saeed, and Abdul Rehman Makki of the Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) The event was attended by thousands, including members of the JuD.
The DPC is a grouping of some 40 extremist and jihadi groups that was formed by Hafiz Saeed and other extremists in 2012. It has campaigned for long for snapping ties with India and the US.http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...hafiz-saeed/story-TLfEfsQiJVYQ00KHiKccXK.html
India reacted with anger after photos of the Palestinian ambassador to Pakistan, Walid Abu Ali, sharing the stage with Hafiz Saeed and addressing the rally in Rawalpindi were circulated on social media on Friday.
Palestine on Saturday recalled its ambassador to Pakistan after India expressed its anger and concern over his presence alongside Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed at a rally organised by extremist and radical groups.
India reacted with anger after photos of the Palestinian ambassador to Pakistan, Walid Abu Ali, sharing the stage with Saeed and addressing the rally organised by the Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) at Liaqat Bagh in Rawalpindi were circulated on social media on Friday.
“The ambassador has been recalled from Pakistan and asked to report to Ramallah,” a Palestinian official told Hindustan Times.
“Palestine is part of the world community and it is committed to fighting terrorism. This shouldn’t have happened,” the official added.
The official said a formal statement from the Palestinian foreign ministry was expected later in the day.
Indian official are also looking into reports that Iran’s envoy to Pakistan, too, was present at the rally.
India was irked by the envoy’s presence at the DPC rally because it came less than 10 days after it joined 127 other members of the United Nations to back a resolution criticising US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The countries disregarded Trump’s threat to cut aid to countries that voted for the resolution.
India and Palestine are also discussing a possible visit to Ramallah by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February – seen by some here as a conciliatory gesture in connection with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to India in January. If Modi’s visit goes ahead, it will be his first to Palestine.
India formally conveyed its concerns about Walid Abu Ali’s “association with terrorist Hafiz Saeed, who is proscribed by the United Nations”, to the Palestinian ambassador in New Delhi and to the minister of foreign affairs in Ramallah in the form of a strongly worded demarche.
A statement issued by the external affairs ministry said the Palestinian side “conveyed deep regrets over the incident and assured the government of India that they are taking serious cognisance of their ambassador’s presence” at the rally. The Palestinian side also conveyed that it “highly values its relationship with India and stands with us in the war against terrorism, and will not engage with those who commit acts of terror against India”.
The Palestinian side also sought to explain Ali’s action by saying he may have committed a mistake by attending the rally or been unaware of the people who would be present at the event.
The Indian side, however, was not convinced by this. One official pointed out, “The Palestinian envoy is no newcomer to Pakistan. He recently completed five years in his position and surely he would know who Hafiz Saeed is.”
India’s decision to back the UN resolution on Jerusalem had prompted a protest from Israel, a key ally in defence and security matters. New Delhi explained the vote by saying its position on Palestine is “independent and consistent” and “shaped by our views and interests, and not determined by any third country”.
Saeed had used the “Tahafuz Baitul Maqdas” rally to launch a broadside against India and to rake up the Kashmir issue by linking it to Palestine.
“We consider it our prime responsibility to liberate Kashmir from India. We will free Kashmir in fulfilment of Jinnah’s dream,” Saeed said, speaking in Urdu.
Saeed also referred to the controversial meeting between Kulbhushan Jadhav, an Indian national sentenced to death for alleged involvement in spying, and his wife and mother in Islamabad on December 25.
“Pakistan let the family of Kulbhushan meet him out of kindness and goodwill, but India sent them with spy devices,” he claimed.
India and Pakistan are engaged in a spat over the treatment meted out to Jadhav’s mother and wife, whose shoes were taken away for tests after Pakistani officials claimed they contained a “metal chip”. India has rubbished these claims as “absurd”.
The rally in Rawalpindi featured several jihadi leaders such as Saifullah Khalid of the Milli Muslim League, a political party formed by Saeed, and Abdul Rehman Makki of the Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) The event was attended by thousands, including members of the JuD.
The DPC is a grouping of some 40 extremist and jihadi groups that was formed by Hafiz Saeed and other extremists in 2012. It has campaigned for long for snapping ties with India and the US.http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...hafiz-saeed/story-TLfEfsQiJVYQ00KHiKccXK.html
