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Blackwill was prejudiced, ill-informed: Pakistan

August 04, 2003 18:26 IST
Last Updated: August 04, 2003 19:12 IST


Pakistan on Monday severely panned the United States' recently departed ambassador to India, Robert Blackwill, for saying that Islamabad was allowing terrorists to cross over to Jammu and Kashmir.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Massood Khan said in Islamabad: "Mr Blackwill seems to be ill-informed, he is prejudiced, and I think he is heartless because he is condoning the genocide of the Kashmiris, and how can he do that?"

Blackwill stepped down early from his post to return to Washington and work with National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice on matters connected to Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan.

In an interview on July 26, Blackwill warned of consequences if Pakistan failed to end cross-border terrorism.

"There are still terrorists coming across the Line of Control," he told NDTV channel.

"There is no substance to the allegations made by Indian defence minister and no terrorists are being trained on Pakistani soil," Khan said while replying to a question about the allegation by George Fernandes that 3000 terrorists were present in Pakistani side of Kashmir.

"It has become usual for the Indian leadership to fabricate such stories... Indian ministers are competing with each other in demonising Pakistan," he said.

Asked about Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's recent statement on the Ayodhya issue, the spokesman said Pakistan regretted it.

"It is the responsibility of the Indian government to protect the places of worship of Muslims and not incite communal violence," he said.   

The spokesperson also said that Pakistan had conveyed its concern over the activities of Indian consulates in Kandahar, Jalalabad and other Afghan cities.

Pakistan had alleged that the Indian consulates in Afghanistan were indulging in anti-Pakistan activities.


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