Not India's habit and policy to interfere in Balochistan: Nirupama Rao

Asserting that there was "not a shred" of evidence" in Pakistan's charge about it fomenting trouble in Balochistan, India today said it was "not our habit and "policy" to interfere in internal affairs of any country.

"Not a shred of evidence to corroborate what Pakistani authorities have been alleging of so-called activities of India in Balochistan. "Balochistan is an internal affair of Pakistan and it is not our habit and it is not our policy to interfere in  the internal affairs of a neighbouring country or for that matter any other country," foreign secretary Nirupama Rao said here today.

Sticking to allegation that India is fomenting unrest in Balochistan and the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, foreign office spokesman Abdul Basit said "India cannot deny its involvement in Balochistan and (the tribal areas) as Pakistan does have evidence."

Basit was reacting to a statement by external affairs minister SK Krishna denying any Indian role in the unrest in Pakistani territory during his statement in Parliament recently. Rao said "I hope Pakistan follows a similar (hands-off) approach".