Narendra Modi's 'nuisance' remarks in Bangladesh 'unfortunate': Pakistan

Islamabad, Jun 9: Pakistan today described as "unfortunate" the remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bangladesh where he had accused it of creating "nuisance" and constantly troubling India by promoting terrorism.

The "characterisation of bilateral relations by the Indian Prime Minister as 'nuisance' is unfortunate," Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Qazi Khalillulah said.

He said that Pakistan believes in peaceful co-existence and maintaining good neighbourly relations with India.

"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."

Khalillulah said that Prime Minister Modi's statements "only confirmed Pakistan's stance on India's negative role against a sovereign neighbouring state."

"It was regrettable that the Indian politicians not only indulge in actions that are in violation of the UN's Charter but also take pride in recalling their interference in the internal affairs of other states," he said.

The spokesperson reiterated that the people of Pakistan and Bangladesh are bound not only by the strong bonds of religious affinity but also by the history of their struggle for independence against colonial rule.

"Indian attempts to sow seeds of discord between the two brotherly nations of Pakistan and Bangladesh will not succeed," he stressed.

Pakistan also called upon the international community to take note of Indian acknowledgement of its interference in East Pakistan - now known as Bangladesh.

PTI