- Standing Committee asks questions on Yadav, LoC violations and Security Council
Members of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs have observed that the delay in compiling additional information on evidence against Kulbhushan Yadav is weakening Pakistan’s case internationally. This was noted during a meeting chaired by Senator Nuzhat Sadiq here on Wednesday.
Some members of the committee considered a lack of political will on part of the government to delay submission of solid dossiers despite passage of nine months since Kulbhushan Yadav’s arrest in March to be the reason behind this delay.
Senator Farhatullah Babar raised the matter of Kulbhushan Yadav in the meeting. “We are in final stages of compiling additional information and the perceptions about lack of evidence against him are baseless. Pakistan’s stance will not be weakened as his confessions are in record,” said Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz in reply to a query.
The committee was briefed by Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhary on the situation at border with India. “A new life was seen in the freedom movement in Indian Held Kashmir (IHK) in July and the violations gained momentum as a result of this movement. The Line of Control ceasefire violations are alleged by India to be a result of infiltrations from Pakistan, but in reality these are conducted to distract attention from the atrocities committed by India in IHK,” he informed the members.
Mr Chaudhary informed the Committee that 45 civilian have been killed as a result of these violations while 138 people have been injured so far. “India has been informed about the need for peace and respect for ceasefire agreements on bilateral level and as a member of international community. We have also communicated our concerns to UN, OIC and member countries of Security Council,” he concluded.
Members of the committee raised a number of questions relating to different aspects of Indo-Pakistan relations, defensive approach of FO and its inability to sell Kashmir issue to the world and country’s foreign policy in general.
While responding to the questions, Foreign Secretary said that the Security Council had already been approached on the matter of violations on LoC and a letter had been circulated as official document among the members, but the Council had its own methodology to put the matters on agenda for debate. He also said that India did not like when the observers pointed out atrocities being committed in IHK, and later stopped them from any further visits. He said that for the sake of reciprocity, Pakistan was asked to allow similar visits which was agreed upon but India still hasn’t given permission for the same. It proves that their conscience is not clear, he said.
While responding to the question whether it was appropriate for Pakistan to send the Adviser to PM on Foreign Affairs to India, Foreign Secretary said that the Foreign Office stands by its decision to attend the Heart of Asia Summit, and Pakistan being the outgoing chair of the summit it was important to show that it was serious towards resolution of the issues in Afghanistan. He said that hostile rhetoric from Afghanistan is not serving any purpose and a cool and calm approach is not a defensive but conscious policy decision.
Answering a question, Sartaj Aziz said that there were 364 Pakistani imprisoned in jails across Saudi Arabia. He said that the embassy of Pakistan was extending all possible assistance to Pakistani prisoners present in jails and deportation centres in the Kingdom.
The meeting was attended among others by Senators Muzaffar Hussain Shah, Shibli Faraz, Sassi Palijo, Farhatullah Babar, Karim Ahmed Khawaja, Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, Daud Khan Achakzai, Adviser to PM on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry, DG Middle East and DG Europe.
