India not serious on composite dialogue, alleges Pakistan

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has accused India of not being serious about the composite dialogue process because “it never did what it said”. The process was initiated in 2004 between the two countries to settle contentious issues.

During a weekly briefing at Foreign Office here Thursday, spokesman Abdul Basit said, “India only wants to blame Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of everything without backing it with any proof.”

“They have an obsession to find scapegoats,” he opined.

The spokesman urged India to “share the details of Samjhauta Express terrorist attack with Pakistan”.

At least 68 people died in February 2007 in the terror strike on the Samjhauta Express that was running between Pakistan’s Lahore city and Indian capital Delhi.

Indian authorities had accused Pakistani banned militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba of carrying out the Samjhauta massacre but the charges were never proved.

“They accused ISI of the Samjhauta tragedy but it proved to be a mere allegation later,” Abdul Basit said.

To a question about tense relations with neighbouring Afghanistan, Basit said, “Pakistan believes in peace and stability in Afghanistan because it will also help bring peace locally.”

Afghanistan has been accusing Pakistan of causing instability because militants were allegedly crossing the porous border regularly.

On the recently held round of strategic dialogue with the US in Washington, he said the US “is helping Pakistan in almost every sphere”.

“It is not appropriate to say that we have failed in acquiring civil nuclear technology.”

(Awais Saleem can be contacted at ians.pakistan@gmail.com)