ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Thursday said that India's so-called "Neighbourhood First" policy "is only a façade", insisting that the current Indian leadership was guided by the "Chanakya" doctrine deeply imbedded in the rank and file of the BJP-RSS combine.
Responding to the Indian External Affairs Minister's statement with regard to India's "Neighbourhood First" policy, the Foreign Office spokesperson, Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, told his weekly media briefing that the dangerous indoctrination of the Indian leadership was concerning for all of India's immediate neighbours.
"The sad reality is that the so-called "neighbourhood first policy" is only a façade," he said.
He added that according to the Chanakya doctrine, "your immediate neighbour is your natural enemy as he covets your territory and resources and is positioned to take them if he is more powerful than you".
He advised the current Indian leadership to abandon the 3rd Century BCE doctrine and instead learn from the post World War II political history of the world, where immediate neighbours have contributed immensely to the socio-economic development and security of each other.
"It is time for Prime Minister Modi and his associates to do some serious introspection," he asserted.
He also referred to the recent crackdown against Amnesty International by the Indian government, saying it was another manifestation of its extremist agenda and inability to hear the truth from independent human rights organisations.
He said that the BJP regime's action had once again revealed the true face of India to the world.
"The so-called largest democracy in the world stands fully exposed," he added.
The spokesperson also strongly condemned the shameful acquittal of all 32 criminals responsible for demolishing the centuries-old Babri Masjid in Ayodhya in 1992.
To a question about Pakistan's offer of arranging a meeting of Indian spy commander Kulbhushan Jadhav with his father and wife, he said that Pakistan's offer was still there, "but unfortunately, we have got no response from Indian authorities so far".
The spokesperson also voiced Pakistan's deep concern over the deteriorating security situation in Nagorno-Karabakh region.
He said that the intensive shelling by the Armenian forces on civilian populations of Azerbaijani villages was "reprehensible and most unfortunate".
"Pakistan stands with the brotherly nation of Azerbaijan and supports its right of self-defence...We support Azerbaijan's position on Nagorno-Karabakh, which is in line with the several unanimously adopted UN Security Council resolutions," he added.
To a question, he said that Pakistan had not yet recognised Armenia and the two countries had no diplomatic relations.
About the extension of Saudi visas [Iqamas], he said that the Iqamas of many Pakistanis expired on 30 September 2020, and to extend full support to such Pakistanis, the Foreign Office took up the matter with the Saudi authorities both for extension of Iqamas as well as additional flights from Pakistan to the Kingdom.
He said that the Saudi authorities had confirmed that now Iqama holders could get their Iqamas extended even from the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Islamabad, after the requisite approval of their Kafeels [sponsors], both private person and company.
If the Kafeel is a company, then company will channel Iqama extension request to the Saudi Embassy, Islamabad through the Saudi Foreign office, he added.
In case the Kafeel is a private person, he added that Iqamas could be extended through an online website called, "Abshar".
He further said that the Saudi authorities had also cleared 47 out of 118 PIA flights for the month of October 2020.
The clearance of remaining flights is under process, he added. Responding to a question about media reports with regard to alleged irregularities in postings in foreign missions, he described the reports as "unfounded", adding the decisions regarding postings and transfers were based on merit following objective criteria.
"Sadly such reports are unfounded and based on either lack of information or understanding of the internal working of the Foreign Office," he said.
As for the assertions regarding violations of the 2015 policy, he said that the objective of the posting policy was to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation, so that the Foreign Policy objectives were optimally advanced.
In this regard, like any professional organisation, optimal utilisation of available human resources to serve the needs of the ministry and our missions abroad is critical, he said, adding that there was a proper multi-tiered mechanism in place to make recommendations for foreign postings.
"Posting decisions are neither arbitrary nor made by any one individual. Any assertions made in this regard are contrary to facts," he said, adding that he would not comment on the individual cases as the matter was sub-judice.
About the reported refusal by the British government to entertain the government of Pakistan's request to extradite former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on the court's order, the spokesperson said that the relevant ministry was interior to comment on the question.
However, he added that the Foreign Office complies with Court orders as and when received, adding that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs dispatched the orders immediately to Pakistan High Commission in London for compliance, and it would submit its report to the court accordingly.
About the reported arrests of a Pakistani national in the recent terror attack in France, he said that the French government had not yet shared any official information with the government of Pakistan, saying that Pakistan's mission in Paris was in touch with the French authorities.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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