NEW YORK, Sep 20 (APP): Pakistan is “not surprised” over Canada’s allegations about India’s involvement in the killing of a Canadian Sikh leader, saying, “we know the nature and the mode of behaviour of our eastern neighbour,” Foreign Secretary Syrus Qazi said Tuesday night.
Responding to a question at a news briefing in New York, he said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement that he had “credible evidence” linking the Indian state to Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s murder must be based on “some facts.”
Nijjar, 45, was shot dead in his vehicle by two masked gunmen in the busy car park of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in British Columbia, a Canadian province.
Talking about Indian record, Qazi said that Pakistan holds Indian spy Kulbhushan Yadav, a serving Naval officer, who entered the country clandestinely to foment trouble, and that he had admitted to his crime.
“Based on our experience (with India), we are not surprised” by the allegations made by the Canadian PM, the foreign secretary said.
“If there’s any country that really understands India, it’s us … We have been dealing with them for over 70 years,” Qazi said. Pakistan, he said, had responded to India’s sneak attack in Feb 2019 to defend its independence — not a small thing, considering that the neighbouring country was seven times bigger in size, adding it would do so again if such a situation arose.
“Whenever there is instability in Pakistan, India often had a hand in it,” the foreign secretary said.
But, he said the world should now realize how their “indispensable ally” behaves and lives in the international community.
Trudeau, speaking in the House of Commons on Monday, did not detail the allegations, but said he had taken his “deep concerns” to top Indian security and intelligence officials and also conveyed them “personally and directly” and “in no uncertain terms” to the Indian Prime Minister at the Group of 20 summit in New Delhi this month.
“Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty,” Trudeau said. “It is contrary to the fundamental rules by which free, open and democratic societies conduct themselves.”
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Tuesday that it rejected Canada’s allegations.
India expelled a Canadian diplomat in retaliation to Canada’s marching orders to Indian diplomat Pavan Kumar Rai, a RAW agent, over the case.
In Washington, the United States said that it is “deeply concerned” at the allegations leveled by the Canadian leader.
“We are deeply concerned about the allegations referenced by Prime Minister Trudeau,” said White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson.
“We remain in regular contact with our Canadian partners. It is critical that Canada’s investigation proceed and the perpetrators be brought to justice,” she added.
The foreign secretary held the briefing to brief Pakistani reporters about the busy day spent by Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas JIlani who held bilateral talks with their respective counterparts and attended various meetings on the sidelines of the 78th session of UN General Assembly.
Replying to a question, he said that PM’s statement on Sept 22 would be a comprehensive one, projecting Pakistan’s perspective on a range of regional and general issues of concern, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. He will also speak about Pakistan’s efforts to implement the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs), and elaborate on the significant measures taken by his caretaker administration to consolidate the country’s economic recovery and efforts to mobilize domestic and external investment.
He cited PM Kakar’s meeting with Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi and the foreign minister’s talks with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, as the most significant on the opening day. Both meetings were held in a congenial atmosphere
To a question, he said that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Pakistan was discussed during the FM’s meeting with the Saudi foreign minister, saying it would take place soon.
He said the annual UN General Assembly session provides a useful opportunity for the world leaders to interact and get to know each other.
