Congress to counter opposition's criticism of Indo-Pak diplomatic initiative

New Delhi, July 25 (ANI): The Congress Party has decided to strongly stand with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's diplomatic initiative on Pakistan and counter the opposition party's severe criticism of the Indo - Pak joint statement issued in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt.

On Friday the Congress Core Committee held a two hour-long meeting at the 7, Race Course residence of the Prime Minister, in the backdrop of unease in the party over the joint statement.

Apart from Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Defence Minister A.K.Antony, Finance Minister Pranb Mukherjee, and Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Gandhi's Political Secretary Ahmed Patel among others attended the meeting.

Though the Congress sources described the meeting as routine, several Congress leaders, and some senior ministers, appear to be having serious reservations over the formulation of the joint statement, especially delinking action on terror with the composite dialogue and the reference to Balochistan.

On Friday Congress spokes person Shakeel Ahmed refuted the BJP's criticism of Indo-Pak joint statement as an attempt to gain political mileage. (ANI)