FO condemns India ordering Pakistani visitors to leave Rajasthan in 48 hours

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office of Pakistan on Tuesday condemned India’s order for visiting Pakistani nationals to leave Rajasthan in 48 hours.

“Indian peremptory order for visiting Pakistanis to leave Rajasthan in 48 hours and prohibiting hotels from accommodating them is a condemnable reflection of Indian jingoism and hate mongering spurred on by election histrionics,” said Dr Mohammad Faisal, a spokesman for the Foreign Office of Pakistan.

He said the move exposed “sham facade of Indian hospitality and tourism friendliness”.

“We expect India to comply with inter-state norms, and ensure absolute safety and security of all Pakistanis there,” the spokesman said.

The already sour relations between India and Pakistan have worsened over the past week as New Delhi piled blame on Islamabad for the Pulwama attack. Pakistan’s leadership has strongly refuted the allegations.

Some 44 Indian paramilitary personnel were killed last week when an explosives-packed van rammed into a convoy transporting 2,500 security forces in Pulwama district of Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK), in the deadliest attack in the valley in 30 years.

The attack followed New Delhi’s baseless allegations against and threats to Pakistan.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Imran Khan responded to Indian rhetoric with an offer to investigate the Pulwama attack and act if New Delhi shared “actionable intelligence with Pakistan.”

Khan, however, made it clear that if the Indian side thought they would attack Pakistan, then Pakistan would not just think but retaliate.