India denies consular access to 197 Pakistani prisoners

India has denied consular access to 197 prisoners in violation of relevant agreement reached with Pakistan in May 2008.

Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi has informed Foreign Office that 469 Pakistani prisoners are languishing in Indian Jails.

These prisoners include 164 fishermen and 305 civil prisoners.

The Pakistan High Commission informed that out of total‚ 197 Pakistani prisoners have not been provided consular access by India despite repeated requests.

A foreign ministry official said that Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi was in contact with Indian authorities for early release of 30 prisoners who have completed their sentence.

Pakistan rejects Indian terror charges: Pakistan Thursday rejected the Indian allegations that its intelligence agency Inter-Services-Intelligence is exporting terrorism to India.

Reacting strongly on the allegations of the Indian home minister against the Pakistani agency, the foreign ministry said that the statement of the Indian home minister is uncalled for and counter- productive.

“This could undermine efforts aimed at normlizing the relations,” Spokesperson Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry told the media persons during weekly news briefing in Islamabad.

The spokesman said that Pakistan itself is the victim of terrorism and has rendered matchless sacrifices in the war against terrorism. He called upon New Delhi to share the evidence before hurling any accusations.

Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said the timing of this statement is not good as the newly leadership in Pakistan has expressed its desire to normalize relations with the neighbor.  “It is time to focus on building the relations and resolving all the outstanding disputes including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir”.

Responding to a question about drone attacks, the foreign office spokesperson declared them as counterproductive and in violation of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He said the newly elected Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has articulated Pakistan’s position and called for an end to the strikes.

When asked about the protest demonstration taken out close to the Pakistani embassy in Kabul, Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry expressed concern on it and said that under the Vienna convention, it is the responsibility of each country to provide full security to the diplomatic staff.

Reports say that a group of Afghans from Kunar province gathered outside the Pakistani embassy in Kabul to hand over an open letter for Pakistan’s new prime minister to urge him to stop ‘rocket fire’ from Pakistani side.

About the expulsion of Pakistanis from Saudi Arabia, the spokesman said Pakistani mission there is providing all the necessary guidance to the Pakistani workers. He said, “We have engaged legal counsels at the deportation centers to facilitate the Pakistani workers”.

To a question, the spokesman said that the ambassadors in UK, UAE and Muscat have been asked to relinquish the charge.

About the visit of the US Secretary of State John Kerry, he said it is on the cards but the date has yet not been fixed

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=40504

Posted by Tahir Khan on Jun 6 2013. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.