Foreign elements’ involvement in Quetta bombing can’t be ruled out: FO

• Spokesperson says Indian intelligence agencies have remained involved in subversive activities in Pakistan

Pakistan has said that the involvement of foreign elements in Quetta bombing cannot be ruled out.

At the weekly press briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said that Indian intelligence agencies have remained involved in subversive activities in Pakistan especially Balochistan and Karachi.

He said the confessional statement of the serving Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jhadav vindicates Pakistan’s claim in this regard. He said that several high-ranking officials of foreign countries are also on record saying our neighbour is financing instability in Pakistan.

Expressing concerns over continuous human rights violations in Indian held Kashmir; the foreign office spokesperson urged the international community to raise its voice against blatant human rights violations in the held valley. There should not be any impunity for the human rights violations.

He said Pakistan has condemned the Indian atrocities at the highest level and also asked the UN Human Rights Commission to send a fact finding mission to the occupied Kashmir. He noted that several countries including United States, China, Turkey and Azerbaijan as well as human rights organizations and NGO have expressed their serious concerns over the situation in occupied Kashmir.

The spokesperson Pakistan is also concerned over huge presence of Indian forces in occupied Kashmir.

To a question, Nafees Zakaria categorically rejected Indian allegations of infiltration across the LoC. He said we have a firm position on it and we will not allow our land to be used against any other country. He said Pakistan itself is the victim of terrorism and it is committed to eradicating the menace. We do not draw any discrimination in the terrorist groups.

When asked about the hostile statements being made by the Afghan president against Pakistan, Nafees Zakaria termed it as unfortunate saying these are not helpful. He pointed out that Pakistan has the largest border with Afghanistan and it has hosted the Afghan refugees for about thirty-five years. He said we have tried and will continue to have the best of relations with the neighbouring countries especially Afghanistan. He said Pakistan supports intra-afghan peace and reconciliation process as peace in Afghanistan in fact is in the interest of Pakistan.

To another query about the Pakistani helicopter, which crashed in Afghanistan, the spokesperson said the Afghan authorities have assured us that it will take all necessary steps to ensure safe recovery of the crew members.