ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Friday strongly reacted to the reference to Pakistan in the joint statement of US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as misleading, surprising and contrary to diplomatic values.
India’s Modi met with Trump at the White House yesterday in which the US president announced supply of modern defense equipment to India, including F-35 fighter jets.
In addition, the joint statement issued after the meeting said Pakistan should bring to justice those responsible for the Mumbai and Pathankot attacks and not allow its territory to be used for cross-border terrorism.
In reaction, Foreign Office spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan said the reference to Pakistan in the joint statement was unilateral, misleading, surprising and contrary to diplomatic values.
He told a weekly media briefing that Pakistan had serious concerns over the transfer of advanced technologies to India. The spokesperson said that despite the cooperation of Pakistan and the United States against terrorism, such a reference in the joint statement was surprising, adding it cannot cover up India’s sponsorship of terrorism, safe havens and extrajudicial killings outside its borders.
“We call the Indo-US joint statement baseless, false and against values. The joint statement failed to respond to India’s violation of people’s rights, as a country affected by terrorism, Pakistan wants to promote peace and stability in the world.”
The spokesman said Pakistan also rejects Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement of sending Palestinians to Saudi Arabia.
Referring to the visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Pakistan, Khan said that Pakistan reiterated its support to Turkish Cypriots while Turkey reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering support on Kashmir and appreciated Pakistan’s stance.
