Pak frowns at Indian media hype on Basit

Says the furore over its envoy’s statement was neither ‘warranted nor required’

Pakistan on Thursday termed the ‘hype’ created by the Indian media over its envoy’s statement in New Delhi as ‘neither warranted nor required’ and said it would be ready to talk ‘when India is ready’. Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria, in his briefing, said in answer to a question that “Pakistan and India are two neighbours which must live in peace and harmony.

The hype created by the Indian media over Mr. (Abdul) Basit's remarks was neither warranted nor required. Our media has been sober and shown maturity.

This question has been repeatedly asked and I will only add to what has been said earlier is that Pakistan will be ready to talk when India is ready. I would not enter into the debate of what words were used by both sides.”

Basit, during a talk in New Delhi earlier this month, had kicked up a controversy when he said that the ‘peace process with India is suspended’ - a remark that was contradicted by the Pakistan foreign office which said that both sides were in talks over when to hold the talks.

The Foreign Secretaries of both sides are yet to meet to work out the modalities over the resumed bilateral dialogue, that has been stalled ever since the January 2 terror attack on the Pathankot air base by Pakistan-based terrorists. To a question on when the Indian probe team, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) would be going to Pakistan regarding the Pathankot probe, the official said that he is not aware of any official request from India in this regard.

On the “NIA team's visit to Pakistan, which has been the subject of much media speculation in India. I am not aware of any official request in this regard,” Zakaria said. To a question on the outcome of the Pakistani Joint Investigation Team's visit to India on the Pathankot probe, he said that “Once the investigations have been completed and a report compiled, we will share with you the shareable information”.