Indian criticism on Pakistan's institutions baseless: FO

Published April 24, 2014
Foreign Office spokeswoman Tasneem Aslam. — Photo by INP
Foreign Office spokeswoman Tasneem Aslam. — Photo by INP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said Thursday that the Indian criticism on its institutions was baseless and those involved in the propaganda should first look into their own internal matters.

During her weekly media briefing, Foreign Office spokeswoman Tasneem Aslam said negative reporting against the ISI had been carried out by the Indian media in connection to the attack on journalist Hamid Mir.

She condemned the attack on Mir and prayed for his speedy recovery.

Commenting on the election process in Indian-held Kashmir she said the election could not be an alternative to Kashmiris' right to self-determination.

She said cooperation between Iran and India regarding energy was their bilateral matter.

Replying to a question on Pakistan-Iran energy cooperation, particularly import of electricity, Aslam said international sanctions did not hurt that agreement as purchase of electricity from Iran was a government-to-government agreement.

She rejected the impression about termination of Pak-Iran gas pipeline project and said there were funding issues.

About sanctions on this project, she said building of extensive infrastructure and international financing took it to a category where international sanctions were applicable.

Responding to a question about Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's visit to Iran, the spokesperson said it would take place before 15th of next month.

She said process of meetings between both the countries officials' was in progress in order to make the visit substantial. She said visit of Iranian Foreign Minister was not on cards, while the Interior Minister would visit Pakistan soon.

About the visit of US Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan James Dobbins, the spokesperson said he would be holding meetings with PM Nawaz, Advisor to PM on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Chief of Army Staff Gen Raheel Sharif.

She said the Pakistani Embassy in Washington had, during the past few months, extensively engaged Dobbins who was a US focal person.

Aslam said Dobbins would be sharing views with Pakistani leaders on matters of regional security, Afghanistan and bilateral ties.

Opinion

Editorial

Ties with Tehran
Updated 24 Apr, 2024

Ties with Tehran

Tomorrow, if ties between Washington and Beijing nosedive, and the US asks Pakistan to reconsider CPEC, will we comply?
Working together
24 Apr, 2024

Working together

PAKISTAN’S democracy seems adrift, and no one understands this better than our politicians. The system has gone...
Farmers’ anxiety
24 Apr, 2024

Farmers’ anxiety

WHEAT prices in Punjab have plummeted far below the minimum support price owing to a bumper harvest, reckless...
By-election trends
Updated 23 Apr, 2024

By-election trends

Unless the culture of violence and rigging is rooted out, the credibility of the electoral process in Pakistan will continue to remain under a cloud.
Privatising PIA
23 Apr, 2024

Privatising PIA

FINANCE Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb’s reaffirmation that the process of disinvestment of the loss-making national...
Suffering in captivity
23 Apr, 2024

Suffering in captivity

YET another animal — a lioness — is critically ill at the Karachi Zoo. The feline, emaciated and barely able to...