FO barred from statements against India during Nawaz Sharif’s era: former spox

[Hermoine Green]

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office’s former spokesperson Tasneem Aslam revealed that they had been instructed not to deliver statements against India during the tenure of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

The former FO spokesperson Tasneem Aslam made some revelations during an interview to a private news channel, saying Sharif family was in support of India. Aslam said she thought business purposes were the reason to favour India by Sharif family.

“Foreign Office (FO) had been instructed not to use names of India and Kulbhushan [while delivering statments] during Nawaz Sharif’s era. We had been ordered by [former premier] Nawaz Sharif to avoid statements against India.”

“It is the policy of Pakistan to meet Hurriyet leadership whenever a leader from Islamabad visit New Delhi. Despite his [Nawaz Sharif] participation in [Indian prime minister Narendra] Modi’s oath-taking ceremony, he did not meet Kashmiris.”

She added that the foreign office did not mention Indian activities in Balochistan during Nawaz Sharif’s tenure.

Ms Aslam criticised that the policy had not benefitted Pakistan, regardless of discussing any advantage received by Nawaz Sharif and the diplomats had also witnessed unchanged policy from Indian side.



Tasneem Aslam had performed duties as Foreign Office spokesperson during the tenure of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N)’s Nawaz Sharif.

The career diplomat had also served in various missions in New Delhi, The Hague and Paris after joining Foreign Service of Pakistan in 1984 besides being ambassador to Italy and Morocco during 2007-2010 and in 2012 respectively. From August 2013 till December 2013, Aslam had been appointed as Additional Foreign Secretary for European Affairs.

https://arynews.tv/en/tasneem-aslam-former-fo-spokesperson-india-kulbhushan-nawaz-sharif/

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

The policy of trying to encourage good relations was right in principle, but unless the benefit goes both ways, then ultimately pointless. What did Nawaz's govt actually get for keeping their mouth shut? I don't recall anything of much worth achieved during his tenure.

 

[ahsan17]

Well, now that makes it clear why he's so popular in India.

 

[Pakistanian]

Sharif was Pakistan's Trump, he was compromised. He was an Indian asset the way Trump is a Russian asset. Pakistan is better off without him.

 

[Bewal Express]

He hasnt said anything that we didn't already know. The payback was when every time the SC heard the case on the Panama scandal, the LOC bombing would increase.

 

[AdamM97]

Sharif was obviously trying to appease Modi in order to avoid any diplomatic confrontation.

Tbh, I don’t mind taking the peaceful path, however one shouldn’t appease leaders like Modi or Bolsonaro too much, or they will come harder at people who appease them because they see it as a sign of weakness and not as a gesture of peace.

 

[Mamoon]

The policy of trying to encourage good relations was right in principle, but unless the benefit goes both ways, then ultimately pointless. What did Nawaz's govt actually get for keeping their mouth shut? I don't recall anything of much worth achieved during his tenure.

His pacifism was not reciprocated because India, and the whole world, is fully aware of the fact that Pakistan’s India policy - and foreign policy in general - is purely controlled by the military.

It is in the best interests of the military of Pakistan to ensure hostile relations with India, since peaceful relations between the two states would threaten their stronghold on the country.

Imran Khan himself is an irrelevant figure when it comes to Pakistan-India relationship. His Twitter war against Modi is only helping him consolidate his puppet office.

 

[JaDed]

Well, now that makes it clear why he's so popular in India.

Lol he is not...

 

[Itachi]

Well, now that makes it clear why he's so popular in India.

Most people don't know him in India to be honest. Imran khan became popular as he was a cricketer.

I don't think Indians can even name 5 top Pak politicians.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

His pacifism was not reciprocated because India, and the whole world, is fully aware of the fact that Pakistan’s India policy - and foreign policy in general - is purely controlled by the military.

It is in the best interests of the military of Pakistan to ensure hostile relations with India, since peaceful relations between the two states would threaten their stronghold on the country.

Imran Khan himself is an irrelevant figure when it comes to Pakistan-India relationship. His Twitter war against Modi is only helping him consolidate his puppet office.

You can blame the Army for bad relations before, in particular conducting Kargil when peace was a real possibility, but not now. Modi is a thug. No amount of appeasement will make him change. If he had the power he would do the "Gujarat Model" on Pakistan.

 

[Thomaskutty]

Tbh, I don’t mind taking the peaceful path, however one shouldn’t appease leaders like Modi or Bolsonaro too much, or they will come harder at people who appease them because they see it as a sign of weakness and not as a gesture of peace.

All this talk about 'sign of weakness' is nonsense. Modi engaged with Sharif because he knew NS was not some blind army stooge and was genuinely interested in peace with India. Hence, why he visited Pakistan in 2015, something even Manmohan Singh didn't do in 10 years as PM.

Whereas with Imran, it was obvious he was just a guy who the Fauj selected to replace Sharif because the latter was talking peace with India and thus had to gotten rid of.. so Modi totally ignored the placeholder Khan, which probably hurt his feelings.

 

[Bewal Express]

NS was an Indian agent. Yadav was caught red handed and the PM couldn't even comment when he was caught. NS is quite literally the definition of a coward and traitor.

 

[kk1992]

His pacifism was not reciprocated because India, and the whole world, is fully aware of the fact that Pakistan’s India policy - and foreign policy in general - is purely controlled by the military.

It is in the best interests of the military of Pakistan to ensure hostile relations with India, since peaceful relations between the two states would threaten their stronghold on the country.

Imran Khan himself is an irrelevant figure when it comes to Pakistan-India relationship. His Twitter war against Modi is only helping him consolidate his puppet office.

NS banned FO from criticizing India.

IK extended hand for talk, Modi decided environment terrorism.

I think it is about time for you to come up with new version because this current one is getting exposed easily.

 

[Bewal Express]

His pacifism was not reciprocated because India, and the whole world, is fully aware of the fact that Pakistan’s India policy - and foreign policy in general - is purely controlled by the military.

It is in the best interests of the military of Pakistan to ensure hostile relations with India, since peaceful relations between the two states would threaten their stronghold on the country.

Imran Khan himself is an irrelevant figure when it comes to Pakistan-India relationship. His Twitter war against Modi is only helping him consolidate his puppet office.

Why did NS not comment on Yadav? The guy was caught red handed fermenting terrorism in Balochistan. The number of attacks in Balochistan have decreased and many lives have been saved since the terrorist was caught, So why did he not comment in such a massive breakthrough?

 

[AdamM97]

All this talk about 'sign of weakness' is nonsense. Modi engaged with Sharif because he knew NS was not some blind army stooge and was genuinely interested in peace with India. Hence, why he visited Pakistan in 2015, something even Manmohan Singh didn't do in 10 years as PM.

Whereas with Imran, it was obvious he was just a guy who the Fauj selected to replace Sharif because the latter was talking peace with India and thus had to gotten rid of.. so Modi totally ignored the placeholder Khan, which probably hurt his feelings.

"Modi engaged with Nawaz because he's not an army puppet", yeah sure...

First of all, Nawaz wouldn't have been a politician if it wasn't for the army.
Second of all, Modi engaged with Nawaz between 2014-2016 because he wanted to be seen as a peace-loving politician from across the border who wanted to heal the relationship with Pakistan. It was a political move, it had absolutely nothing to do with the army.

 

[Syed1]

Not surprised Nawaz Sharif was an Indian agent I'm glad we ended his political career.... I'm saddened that we let him go he should have spent his last days behind bars.


Look at the aggression and proactive-ness of the foreign policy on all fronts ever since IK took over.

 

[ahsan17]

Lol he is not...

Most people don't know him in India to be honest. Imran khan became popular as he was a cricketer.

I don't think Indians can even name 5 top Pak politicians.

Let's assume what you guys are saying is true. I meant more among the Pakistani PMs/dictators that are known in India. I haven't seen Indians defend any other Pakistani politician the way they defend NS, and I guess they knew deep down something was up with him vis-a-vis India. This is actual evidence their hunch was right.

 

[Varun]

Look at the aggression and proactive-ness of the foreign policy on all fronts ever since IK took over.

Dumb move to let Nawaz run away though.

 

[Thomaskutty]

Modi engaged with Nawaz between 2014-2016 because he wanted to be seen as a peace-loving politician from across the border who wanted to heal the relationship with Pakistan.It was a political move

How was it a political move .. which is the target audience from which he wanted political gain ?

 

[moghul]

Lol he is not...

He is not popular anywhere, corrupt people can be wealthy but not popular.

 

[daytrader]

Govt secretly mending fences with India: Imran

MUZAFFARABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday accused the federal government of “secretly establishing relations” with India, allegedly, for its own “business interests” and in complete “disregard of the sacrifices” of the people of India-held Jammu and Kashmir.

The PTI chief, who arrived in the city at the invitation of AJK Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, was addressing a large gathering in the heart of Muzaffarabad. According to organisers, it was Mr Khan’s 52nd public meeting since his ouster from power in April.

Terming the Kashmiris “special people” for their ceaseless freedom struggle and at least “100,000 sacrifices over the past 33 years”, the PTI chief assured them that he would not let their struggle be for naught.

He recalled that on August 5, 2019, when the “fascist Narendra Modi-led Indian government” revoked the special status of occupied Jammu and Kashmir, his government had severed all ties with New Delhi.

Ex-PM lambastes Dar, says PML-N leader laundered money for Sharifs

“You know very well that every country derives benefits from trade. India is a big country and Pakistan would also have benefited from trade with it. But my government decided that we would never compromise on the Kashmiris’ freedom movement,” he said, adding, “We made it clear that we will normalise relations and trade with India only after the revival of the statehood of occupied Jammu and Kashmir.”

However, without naming any particular nation, he alleged that ever since this “imported government had been imposed on the Pakistanis under a foreign conspiracy it was working on the agenda of its foreign masters.”

Referring to the audio leaks, the PTI chief sarcastically observed that he owed a debt of gratitude to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for leaking his conversation with former principal secretary Azam Khan, as the leaked clip proved the reality of the cipher.

“They do not know that we were putting pressure on India and that Pakistani people will never mend fences with them unless they restore the statehood of Kashmir. But what are they doing? They are clandestinely and shamelessly establishing relations with India,” he alleged.

The PTI chief took strong exception to the return of Ishaq Dar as finance minister, alleging that he had given a “confessional statement in 2000 about how he had laundered money for the Sharif family”.

Mr Khan also asked the people of AJK to prepare themselves to respond to his call and asked them to join his movement. He chided Chief Election Commissioner Sultan Sikandar Raja, terming him “chief electoral fraud”.

“Though we already knew it, the audio leaks have proven that this charlatan has been fixing matches in collusion with the PML-N,” he alleged.

DAWN