The Hindu : Pak. lodges protest

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 08, 2003

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Pak. lodges protest

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

Islamabad Feb. 7. Pakistan today lodged a `strong protest' with the Indian Government over allegations that the Pakistan Acting High Commissioner in New Delhi, Jalil Abbas Jilani, provided money to representatives of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC).

The Indian Acting High Commissioner, Sudhir Vyas, was summoned to the Foreign office in Islamabad and told that the charges against Mr. Jilani were "ridiculous and baseless" and were part of the BJP's "systematic campaign" to vilify Pakistan for narrow political gains.

Mr. Vyas was also told of the grave concern over the ongoing campaign of "vilification against Pakistan and officialsof the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi''.

The campaign was part of the BJP Government's strategy to "mislead the Indian public opinion to whip up anti-Pakistan hysteria for electoral gains", it was alleged.

According to officials in the Indian High Commission, Mr. Vyas reportedly told the Pakistan Foreign Office that the Indian police authorities had only quoted the woman apprehended outside the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. He is also believed to have saidthat the Indian Government had not made any direct charges against Mr. Jilani and investigation was in progress.

The Pakistan Foreign Office said the "authorities in New Delhi had framed representatives of the APHC to discredit the freedom movement in Indian occupied Kashmir, as to find an excuse for yet another crackdown on the APHC leadership as part of its brutal suppression of the Kashmiri people".

It urged India to put an end to the `systematic campaigning of disinformation' against Pakistan and the `highly provocative statements and measures' which continue to vitiate the environment between the two countries. The statement said the Indian Government must discharge its obligations to ensure the safety and the privileges of officials of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.

Hurriyat denial: Page 11

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