Conflict

Being a victim of terror, Pakistan could never condone it in any form or manifestation, says Envoy Basit

Abdul Basit is Pakistan's High Commissioner to India.

“Pakistan’s decision for not granting consular access to Jadhav was driven from bilateral consular agreement between India and Pakistan clearly states that issues related to security would be decided on merit”

Srinagar: Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India, Abdul Basit, has said that the dialogue between Pakistan and India was the only way to move forward for the resolution of long-standing issues, as there was always a room for diplomacy.

In an interview with a New Delhi based TV channel WION (World is one news), he said that as serious issues were involved between the two countries, so how they could be resolved without talking to each other.

To a question as if Pakistan was making effort to initiate dialogue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Astana next week, Basit said, “Pakistan believes in dialogue.”

“I am always optimistic about a good relationship. Frankly speaking, you cannot live in hostility indefinitely or forever,” he said when asked if he was seeing any meeting around between the two leadership.

About Indian business tycoon Sajan Jindal’s visit to Pakistan, Basit asserted it was “purely a private”.

About Indian spy Kalbhushan Jadhav, the Pakistan high commissioner said, “he has been convicted of espionage and appeal was submitted to the appellate court on his behalf.”

“Pakistan’s decision for not granting consular access to Jadhav was driven from bilateral consular agreement between India and Pakistan clearly states that issues related to security would be decided on merit,” he informed.

About the ICJ hearing, he said Pakistan faced no embarrassment as it was not a final ruling but a stay order that was generally expected in such cases.

“In such cases, there are no setbacks,” he said. “Commander Jadhav has confessed all wrongdoings and Pakistan was confident that he had been involved in subversive activities.”

To a question, the envoy said that terrorism had also been a huge issue for Pakistan and the conviction of Commander Jadhav “clearly showed” that terrorism in Pakistan had “external dimension” to it.

“When it comes to terrorism, Pakistan too has serious concerns. Whenever we will have a dialogue with India, we would raise our concerns,” he remarked.

About Mumbai and Pathankot incidents, he said, “in order to move forward in such cases, it was important to cooperate with each other.”

Kulbhushan Jadhav is an Indian national detained and sentenced to death by a military court in Pakistan.

About Arab-led Islamic Military Alliance, he said Iran had ‘excellent’ ties with Pakistan. “We are part of that military alliance that was against terrorism, not against any particular country.”

About the views expressed at the summit in Riyadh about isolating Iran, he said Pakistan was not subscribed to those views.

He said that Pakistan’s relations with Saudi Arabia and Gulf states were very important and the ties with Iran were equally important, “so Pakistan would not like to take sides”.

“Pakistan’s effort would be to become a bridge between Saudi Arabia and Iran if that is possible,” he said.

About allegations from Afghanistan on Kabul bombing, he said that it was not anything new. “Pakistan itself is a victim of terror. Being a victim, Pakistan could never condone terrorism in any form or manifestation,” he said.

Click to comment
To Top