Minister of State for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb has claimed that there was mention of Indian Businessman Sajjan Jindal in the meeting between the prime minister and army chief as it is being reported by some media channels.
“Jindal is a friend of the prime minister and met him in his personal capacity,” she stated in a statement issued on Friday.
On May 11, a news report had come out quoting official sources as saying that during a meeting Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had taken Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Bajwa into confidence over Jindal’s visit to Pakistan. The news report read that Pakistan’s civil leadership had informed high-level officials of the army that the recent meeting between Nawaz and Jindal was a part of back-channel diplomacy.
It further stated that the chief of army staff also informed his officials about the matter.
In April, Jindal made an unannounced visit to Pakistan and met Nawaz.
Jindal, who is also said to be accompanied by other businessmen, met the Pakistani prime minister in his personal capacity in Murree, where the premier had gone for a private trip.
The meeting came at a time of tension and border unrest between India and Pakistan – Indian security forces brutality being at an all time high in Kashmir, along with the contention over the agent of Research and Analysis Wing, Kulbhushan Jadhav.
Mr. Jindal is an old friend of the Prime Minister. Nothing ‘secret’ about the meeting & should not be blown out of proportion. Thank you.
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) April 27, 2017
Nawaz’s daughter had also tweeted over the matter, writing Jindal is an old friend of the prime minister and that there was nothing ‘secret’ about the meeting and should not be blown out of proportion.
