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ISLAMABAD: Blaming “Indian state actors” for interfering in Pakistan, Adviser to PM on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz warned on Thursday that tension along the Line of Control “can anytime go out of control”.
Briefing the Senate on the prime minister’s coming visit to the US to attend the United Nations General Assembly session, he said the US had already been informed about possible consequences of continued Indian aggression along the LoC.
Mr Aziz made the statement as military authorities confirmed at least two more deaths of civilians in unprovoked Indian firing in Nakyal sector along the LoC.
Mr Aziz said a dossier on India’s involvement in terrorism in Pakistan had been prepared and was being taken to the UN. “It is yet to be decided how we will use it,” he added.
He said India alleged that non-state actors from Pakistan were involved in (terrorist) activities in India whereas “we say that their state actors are doing it (in Pakistan)”.
Mr Aziz said the recent talks between officials of Pakistan Rangers and Indian Border Security Force had been held in a good environment and both sides had agreed to enhance communication so that the two countries could establish contact in case of any violation of boundaries.
However, he pointed out, the two sides had only discussed the issue of hostilities along the Working Boundary, while violations continued to take place along the LoC.
About suspension of the national security adviser-level talks, he said Indian stance that terrorism would be discussed before any other issue was “unacceptable”. He said the talks were initiated by India and it would only be resumed when New Delhi would again take the initiative.
About the setting up of a special cell in Pentagon to boost defence ties with India, Mr Aziz said the prime minister would take up the issue of “imbalance between (US ties with) Pakistan and India” during his visit to the US in October.
The PML-Q’s Mushahid Hussain Sayed had drawn the attention of the adviser to reports that the US had set up a first-ever country-specific cell in Pentagon to improve defence ties with India although Pakistan had been a frontline partner of the US in war against terrorism.
He regretted that President Barack Obama in his latest speech had praised the US for “doing an incredible job in Fata” but had not mentioned the role of Pakistan and its armed forces which had launched Operation Zarb-i-Azb there.
The adviser agreed to the opposition members’ proposal that joint sessions of parliament should be regularly convened to discuss the foreign policy issues.
However, the opposition rejected the policy statement made by Mr Aziz and staged a token walkout led by Opposition leader Senate Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan. The opposition leader said it seemed that the adviser had simply read out a statement provided by the Foreign Office as there was nothing new in his speech.
He said Mr Aziz had not answered specific questions the members had raised, like his query whether the foreign affairs ministry had set up a cell to monitor the Indian media which was creating hysteria against Pakistan.
Mr Aziz gave an interesting reply by saying there was no need to monitor the Indian media as “we can say without watching it what they are saying.”
He said he himself monitored the Indian media for one and a half hours on a daily basis.
Usman Kakar of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party said except China, Pakistan did not have good relations with any of its neighbours.
Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2015
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