Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, Pakistan President ZiaulHaq has said that there Is nothing wrong in Khan Abdul Ghaftar Khan’s (popularly known as Frontier Gandhi) visit to India to participate in the Indian National Congress Centenary celebrations.

Ambassador: That’s right. Journalist: But all the still living Indian National Congress stalwarts In the opposition parties have declined the invitation to attend the centenary as they do not consider Indira Congress led by Rajiv Gandhi as the legitimate continuation of Indian National Congress: Ambassador: Very correct.

Journalist: Don’t you think that Indian National Congress died with M.K. Gandhi on January 30, 1948? Also do you think Indian Government would permit Muslim League leaders in India to visit Pakistan to participate in the Muslim League Centenary Celebrations?

Ambassador: Not in national interest to disclose.

*                                  *                                  *                                  *                                  *

Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, Rajiv Gandhi has again accused Pakistan of sheltering, training and arming Sikh youths from across the Indian state of Punjab. Ambassador: That’s right.

Journalist: But earlier a senior Indian government spokesman had charged that Pakistan saboteurs had infiltrated Into Punjab in the guise of Sikhs in order to engineer communal riots there.

Ambassador: Very correct.

Journalist: Don’t you think that the charge by the government spokesman was only a cover to eliminate Sikh youths in “police encounters” by branding them Pakistan saboteurs? And don’t you feel that Rajiv’s accusation Is aimed at putting Pakistan on the defensive 30 as for neutralize its sympathy for the minorities In india?

Ambassador: Not in national interest to disclose.

*                                  *                                  *                                  *                                  *

Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, provocative posters have appeared in U.P. town against Sikhs threatening them to go back to Punjab Ambassador: That’s right.

Journalist: Similar posters had started appearing In Russian towns against Jews before the communist rulers launched their operation to exterminate them. Ambassador: Very correct.

Journalist: Don’t you think that Russian overlords in India want the Indian rulers to finish Sikhs in the same ‘way as they exterminated the Jews because Sikhs pose a serious challenge to their expansionism?

Ambassador: Not in national interest to disclose.

Article extracted from this publication >>  January 3, 1986