Pakistani minister hints at action against Imran Khan convoy in India
The Pakistan government has reacted angrily to an Indian government decision to deny permission for Imran Khan’s convoy to travel to New Delhi.
On its official Facebook page, the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi said, “High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi is aware of the statements made by the President of India regarding the travel of the Chief Imam of Jamiat Ut Tah to New Delhi. It is stated in the statement that he is not travelling to India to perform a political rally but to attend a religious conference in India.”
A spokesperson for Pakistan Foreign Office said that “President of Pakistan is not aware of any such decision announced by the Government of India.”
Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said:“India is trying to misinform Pakistan and trying to make the Indian Government appear as a country which is weak and is not capable of carrying forward its national interest.”
India has said Khan’s convoy will be allowed to travel to Delhi if he is allowed to take with him only religious leaders who will not take any political position.
India has also asked Khan to postpone his trip to Delhi until after the elections in Jammu and Kashmir, which have been called for December 9. Imran Khan is leading the India campaign against a constitutional amendment that allows the state of Jammu and Kashmir to hold a referendum on Kashmir’s final status.
The United States said that it was disappointed that the Indian government would deny permission to Imran Khan’s convoy. “We have long called for the Indian government to respect its international obligations to avoid interfering in domestic politics in Pakistan,” it said in a statement late on Tuesday. The statement said that “every effort must be made to ensure that the Indian government fully respects its international obligations”.
The Indian government denied on Tuesday that India had cancelled permission for Imran Khan’s convoy for political reasons.
Khan’s supporters have insisted that he will
