ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office lodged (FO) on Thursday a formal protest with the United States for allowing the National Security Agency (NSA) to spy on Pakistan as part of a massive surveillance programme that included 193 countries.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially conveyed to the US embassy in Islamabad that such an action against Pakistani government departments or other organisations, entities and individuals, was not in accord with international law and recognised diplomatic conduct.

The US side was told that such surveillance was contrary to the spirit of friendly relations between the two countries. “In the interest of friendly and cooperative ties, we have urged the US to stop such activities,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.

Pakistan ‘deeply concerned’ by situation developing in Syria, Iraq

“It is, no doubt, a violation of international law. We have raised it with the US in the past and we will continue to discuss this issue,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam told a weekly press briefing at the FO.

She said it was surprising that a political party in Pakistan was among the entities being spied on, referring to the revelation that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was among organisations under surveillance.

The matter was raised by the PPP on Wednesday, which termed the NSA surveillance a “violation of international law” and asked the government to take up the matter with the US. Four PPP senators, Mian Raza Rabbani, Farhatullah Babar, Saeed Ghani and Sardar Ali on Thursday submitted a call attention notice to the Senate secretariat, asking for discussion on reports that the NSA was allowed to spy on the party.

Tensions with India

The FO spokesperson confirmed that at least one soldier was injured when Indian forces fired on Pakistani positions in the Kotli sector on Wednesday night. Local commanders, she said, had taken up the issue with the Indian side.

She regretted the frequent violations of the ceasefire on the Indian border.

Responding to a question, Ms Aslam said: “We do not accept the so-called accession of the state of Jammu and Kashmir to India. Kashmir is not an integral part of India. Our position is that Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory. People of the state of Jammu and Kashmir have yet to exercise their right to self-determination which has been assured to them by almost 20 resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.”

Nuclear deal

Referring to US and UK support for India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group – despite the fact India is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT), Ms Aslam said Pakistan too was not a signatory to the NPT.

“Pakistan and India are nuclear states and that’s a reality. It would be unrealistic to pretend otherwise,” she remarked.

The spokesperson said Pakistan had consistently sought for non-discriminatory access to nuclear technology. Any effort that creates exceptions or which is based on double standards undermines the credibility of the international nuclear regime.

She said that Pakistan, being a responsible nuclear state, had taken measures for the safety and security of its nuclear programme and installations.

“Our civilian nuclear power plants operate under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards. We adhere to the guidelines of most multilateral arrangements of our own accord,” she said.

Ms Aslam said Pakistan was “deeply concerned” over the escalating violence in Iraq and Syria and wished to see peace and stability in the region.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2014