ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday deplored the Indian decision to use Saarc to advance its political ambitions.

“The Indian action was contrary to the purposes and principles of the Saarc Charter,” Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria told a weekly media briefing. He pointed out that Saarc summits had been postponed eight times in the past and five times India was responsible.

“Squandering the efforts of a 30-year-old socio-economic grouping by India is reflective of the Indian attitude and its contribution to poverty and instability in this poverty-stricken region,” he remarked.

In response to a question about India commencing work on its plan to build nine dams in the Ladakh region on the Indus, he said Pakistan was closely following the developments and would not accept any violation of the Indus Waters Treaty. “We will take appropriate action in line with the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty, in case of any violation.”

About US presidential candidate Donald Trump’s offer to mediate between Pakistan and India, he said Pakistan welcomed it as it had welcomed mediation offers in the past. He said Pakistan continued to urge its American friends, including those in its administration, to play their due role in resolving bilateral issues between Pakistan and India, particularly the Kashmir dispute.

Answering another question, he said Indian attempts to isolate Pakistan had failed miserably. Given Pakistan’s geo-strategically important position in the region of international interest, the very notion of isolating Pakistan is ridiculous. Indian obsession to malign Pakistan has not been appreciated by mature countries. Besides, negative Indian policies towards Pakistan and regional integration efforts under various regional groupings had exposed India as the biggest hurdle in the development of the region, which he said hosted the world’s largest population of the poor. Indian activities should be seen as its desperation to deflect international attention from its crimes against humanity in held Kashmir. The Indian denial to resolve all outstanding issues including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute are clearly at variance with its claims for a peaceful neighborhood.

He refused to comment on a question about contacts between the Afghan Taliban and Iran or any other country, replying simply that it had been Pakistan’s consistent position that politically negotiated settlement was vital for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan. “Pakistan believes that all efforts should be made towards a sustainable peace settlement through an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process. In our view, QCG is an appropriate forum in which Pakistan is ready to play its role. We will continue with our efforts in facilitating the peace process towards a lasting settlement in collaboration with the Afghan government”, he said.

About the Indian home minister’s remarks asking Pakistan to shut down what he called terrorist factories, he said these remarks did not reflect reality.

He said the Indian intelligence agencies were involved in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan. “The people of Pakistan are the victims of Indian state sponsored terrorism. Confession of apprehended RAW operative Kulbushan Jadhav, a serving Indian naval officer, is irrefutable proof. Terror financing by India in Pakistan from Afghan soil has also been publicly mentioned by a former minister of the United States of America. Prime Minister Modi’s statements on Balochistan and East Pakistan are testimony of Indian involvement in perpetrating terrorism and subversion in Pakistan.”

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2016