NEW DELHI: Indian Foreign Minister Swaran Singh today [Feb 15] warned Pakistan against using this month’s Islamic Summit in Lahore for “raking up” affairs related to India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Mr Singh, who was speaking to reporters at Delhi airport after returning from … Bangladesh, said Pakistan’s leaders should restrain themselves at the Summit. He said any attempt by them “to misrepresent or malign India or Bangladesh is bound to be counter-productive”.

It would retard the process of normalisation … between the countries of the Subcontinent and obstruct achievement of durable peace. … He believed that other counties participating in the Islamic meeting would also not take any stand that might worsen the Sub-continental situation. Mr Singh said that India had no quarrel with the convening of the Summit and approved [of] its main objective — to lend support to the Arab cause against Israel — but would not like its main object to be “diluted by extraneous interference”. … When his attention was drawn to foreign Press reports that some Arab countries were trying to mediate between Pakistan and Bangladesh, Mr Singh replied: “Let them put all pressure on Pakistan.” — News agencies

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2024