Pakistan rejects baseless allegations in US-India joint statement

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Pakistan has taken strong exception to the unwarranted reference against Pakistan in the US-India joint statement issued after talks between the US secretary of state and the secretary of defence with their Indian counterparts in New Delhi. At his weekly news briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Faisal said that Pakistan rejects the baseless allegations. “We have also conveyed our position to the US side,” he said. He also said that mentioning of a third country with unsubstantiated accusations in a formal outcome document is inconsistent with the established diplomatic norms. “What is more ironic is that many other thorny issues involving the third country were avoided in the joint statement by the Indian side,” Dr Faisal said. He added that Mumbai trial is ongoing in anti terrorism court in Pakistan. He said that the judicial process shall take its course. The spokesperson asked the US side to also focus similarly if not more on the Indian state terrorism and the resulting humanitarian emergency in Indian-held Jammu Kashmir. He expressed surprise that there was no mention in the joint statement of the continued ceasefire violations by the Indian forces along the line of control (LoC) and the working boundary which poses a grave threat to regional peace and security. To a question, Dr Faisal said that Pakistan is always ready for talks with India for resolution of all outstanding disputes. He confirmed both the countries are in contact with each other through track two diplomacy. To another question, the spokesperson said Prime Minister Imran Khan will visit Saudi Arabia but dates will be announced later. He further said that Foreign Minister Shah Mehmoud Qureshi will visit Kabul on Saturday during which important matters relating to peace and security will be discussed. Dr Faisal said that Pakistan has closed its consulate in Jalalabad due to security concerns. He said the matter has been taken up with the Afghan officials who have assured to address the concerns. The FO spokesperson categorically rejected that Pakistan is considering renegotiating the CPEC with China. He said there is no such thing and we have already rejected it.