Modi's remarks in Bangladesh aimed at fanning hatred against Pakistan: Sartaj Aziz

Pakistan on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks in Bangladesh were aimed at fanning hatred against it and called on the UN to take notice of India's "open admission" of indulging in subversive activities to destabilise the country.

Pakistan Prime Minister's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz told Parliament that the government has already taken "strong notice" of Prime Minister Modi's statement "acknowledging" India's "intervention" in events of 1971. "Pakistan will take all possible steps to expose India's role in the breakup of East Pakistan in 1971 and its threat to destabilise Pakistan through terrorism," he alleged. Aziz also urged the international community and the UN to take notice of the India's "open admission" of indulging in subversive activities to destabilise Pakistan.

Aziz said Modi's statement vindicates Pakistan's stand over India's present and past policies to destabilise it. He said it is regrettable that Modi chose Bangladesh for the statement which was aimed at fanning hatred against Pakistan in Bangladesh. Aziz said Modi's remarks were aimed at souring ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh which have strong bonds of religious affinity and the shared history of struggle for independence against colonial rule.

He also questioned India's credibility for permanent membership in the UN Security Council, alleging that India has been violating the UN resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir. Chairman of the Senate, Upper House of the Parliament, Mian Raza Rabbani, also condemned Modi's remarks and claimed that India wanted to create differences between Pakistan and Bangladesh but it will not succeed.
Modi in his remarks during his recent visit to Bangladesh talked about the role of his country in the independence of Bangladesh.

"Pakistan aaye din (constantly) disturbs India, jo naako dum la deta hai (creates nuisance), terrorism ko badhawa (deta hai)...ki ghatnaayein ghatthi rehti hain (promotes terrorism and such incidents keep recurring)," Modi had said on Sunday in his address to Dhaka University during his Bangladesh trip.

Recalling that 90,000 Pakistani prisoners of war were in India's captivity during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, Modi had said, "if we had a diabolic mindset, we don't know then what decision we would have taken." Pakistan's Foreign Office had yesterday said that "characterisation of bilateral relations by the Indian Prime Minister as 'nuisance' is unfortunate."

Meanwhile, in the Punjab Province assembly opposition leader Mehmoodur Rasheed submitted a resolution against Prime Minister Modi's statement in Bangladesh. The resolution calls on the government to immediately call an All Parties Conference (APC) and announce its course of action in light of Modi's statement.