Islamabad: Pakistan said on Thursday that India should provide proof of any Pakistani found involved in terrorist activity on Indian soil, according to a statement issued by Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Syed Qazi Khalilullah.
This followed an Indian claim that Usman Faisal, a militant captured on Wednesday after a deadly attack on a military convoy in the Kashmir region, was a Pakistani.
Qazi Khalilullah said that the Indian claim was baseless and further said, “We have repeatedly asked India to refrain from accusations.”
Responding to a question about the Dawn op-ed penned by Tariq Khosa on the Mumbai attack trial, the spokesperson said that he could not comment on the article but added that more information is awaited from India in this regard.
He stated that Indian citizen Geeta Bharti had been put in touch with the Indian High Commissioner in an effort to expedite her return. In the case of Chanda Bibi, the Pakistani High Commissioner is in contact with the Indian Foreign Ministry, said Khalilullah.
He further confirmed that Pakistan has received Aug 23 and 24 as dates from India for talks between the two countries’ national security advisers (NSA) in New Delhi. “Dates are under consideration by foreign office and agenda is being prepared,” Khalilullah confirmed.
Talking about a revision in control lists under the Export Control Act of 2004, Khalilullah said that the revised control lists of goods, technologies, material and equipment related to nuclear and biological weapons and their delivery systems have been released. This “enables the Government to control export, re-export, trans-shipment and transit” of such weapons and delivery systems, the spokesman said.
“The notification signifies the continuing resolve and policy of Pakistan as a responsible nuclear state to advance the shared goals of non-proliferation,” he added.
He additionally disclosed that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would be going to Belarus at the invitation of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. This will be the first time a Pakistani prime minister visits the Republic of Belarus.
Mr Sharif will be holding talks with Mr Lukashenko as well as the Belarusian prime minister, and is also scheduled to receive an honorary Ph.D. from the University of Belarus.
