ISLAMABAD: Mr. Aziz Ahmad, Minister of State for Defence and Foreign Affairs, admitted in the National Assembly here this afternoon [Dec 6] that India had recently launched a propaganda campaign against Pakistan particularly from All India Radio and Amritsar Television Station against the solidarity of Pakistan and the ‘two-nation theory’. Replying to a question from Maulana Mohammad Zakir (JUP-Jhang), the Minister said in the past few weeks All India Radio seemed to have abandoned restraint. Violations of the Simla Agreement provisions on the cessation of hostile propaganda had recently become more frequent as well as more serious.

The attention of the Government of India had been drawn to these violations by All India Radio and Amritsar Television Station, he said. He added while appropriate steps had been taken to counteract hostile propaganda, the Government of Pakistan continued to be of the view that observance of the Agreement on cessation of hostile propaganda was in the mutual interest of the two countries. In reply to another separate question the Minister … said the Pakistan Government was asking the Government of India to accelerate the pace of repatriation of Pakistani prisoners of war and internees.

Published in Dawn, December 7th, 2023