Sethi arrested for anti-State activity, says Foreign Office | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Sethi arrested for anti-State activity, says Foreign Office

ISLAMABAD (PPI)-Foreign office spokesman on Thursday declared that Pakistan’s position about arrest of editor, The Friday Times, Najam Sethi, is clear, saying that the case falls under purview of anti-State activity as there is a very little doubt about the damage caused to country’s interests by Sethi’s speech in India.

“Law takes its course in all cases relating to anti-State activity, and the same will happen in Sethi’s case,” he said while answering questions at a briefing here at the Foreign Ministry. He said it was responsibility of the State to preserve sovereignty and integrity of the country, adding, “anti-State activities cannot be allowed.”

He strongly dispelled the impression that Sethi’s arrest was an indication of government’s intention to stop track-two diplomacy saying there was nothing of the sort, “but there is a difference between positive criticism and anti-State activities.”

“We have no intention to abandon second track discussions or meetings which are held in a good faith and are aimed at foreign tension-free relations between Pakistan and India,” he said.

Asked why the government made public a confidential report sent by its High Commissioner in India about Sethi, the spokesman said this was not a secret report. The High Commissioner had sent a report along with press clippings of Sethi’s speech which was addressed to many people concerned.

He said the High Commissioner was entitled to form an opinion and make assessment of the events so as to communicate them to the government, which had the authority to make a final judgment.

Replying to a question, the spokesman said he had not seen any statement of the World Bank President urging the government to release Najam Sethi.

Asked to comment on expression of concern by the US government spokesman on incident of violence against Senator Asif Ali Zardari, he said he had not seen any official communication from the US government to the Government of Pakistan in this regard.

Source: The Nation

Date:5/21/1999