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India on Thursday described as “preposterous” allegations that it’s making an attempt to scuttle the acceptance by the Biden administration of Pakistan’s ambassador-designate to the US Masood Khan.
“It’s preposterous accountable a 3rd nation for the delay within the appointment of an envoy from one nation to a different,” Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi stated at a media briefing.
His feedback got here when requested about Pakistan’s allegations that India was instrumental in blocking Khan’s affirmation by the US.
Khan, who served because the “president” of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) till August final yr, was nominated as Pakistan’s ambassador to the US in November. He’s nonetheless awaiting affirmation from the Biden administration.
A US Congressman has urged President Joe Biden to reject Pakistan’s nomination and described Khan as a “bona fide terrorist sympathiser” working to undermine America’s pursuits within the area.
Requested about Pakistani billionaire Mian Muhammad Mansha’s claims that India and Pakistan are engaged in back-channel contacts, Bagchi declined to reply, saying the MEA doesn’t react to observations by personal people.
The businessman had reportedly stated the contacts will hopefully yield good outcomes and even urged that there might be a serious go to to Pakistan from India.
To a separate query on a brand new proposal by the Pakistan Hindu Council to permit pilgrims to journey to India by air, Bagchi urged that it must be mentioned below the framework of India-Pakistan protocol of 1974 on visits to non secular shrines.
“Visits by pilgrims to non secular websites are ruled by the 1974 bilateral protocol between India and Pakistan and such visits are facilitated usually. Throughout the yr 2021, visits by 3,500 pilgrims had been facilitated below the protocol,” he stated.
“We’ve famous pursuits on each side to broaden the agreed lists of such shrines and the mode of journey. This is able to should be mutually agreed below the protocol,” Bagchi stated.
He stated India has despatched an official response to Pakistan’s advice on the matter.
Bagchi stated given the present restrictions on motion and gatherings in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2 sides can use the time to carry discussions below the bilateral protocol.
It’s learnt that the proposal by the Pakistan Hindu Council was despatched to the MEA by the Pakistan Excessive Fee in India.
On Pakistan’s readiness to host the SAARC summit, Bagchi stated there was “no materials change” for India to vary its place on the matter.
The South Asian Affiliation for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is a regional bloc comprising India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
SAARC has not been very efficient since 2016 as its biennial summits haven’t taken place for the reason that final one in Kathmandu in 2014.
The 2016 SAARC Summit was to be held in Islamabad. However after a terrorist assault on an Military camp in Jammu and Kashmir’s Uri on September 18 that yr, India expressed its lack of ability to take part within the summit as a result of “prevailing circumstances”.
The summit was referred to as off after Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan additionally declined to take part.
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