Pak PM Sharif wrote to 17 countries against India's NSG berth: Aziz

Pakistan’s intensive diplomatic lobbying, including letters written by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to his 17 counterparts, prevented India from gaining entry into the NSG, the country’s top diplomat claimed today. Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said that hectic diplomatic efforts were made to inform the world leaders about Pakistan’s position on the NSG entry.

“Prime Minister Sharif personally wrote letters to 17 prime ministers of different countries on the matter, which is on record,” Aziz said told journalists here.

The Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG) meeting last week failed to achieve consensus over the entry of India as some countries including China objected that the being non-NPT signatory, India was not eligible for the membership.

Pakistan has been trumpeting it as success but it at the same time it was seldom mentioned here what happened to its own application for the membership.

Pakistan tried to sell the idea that a criteria-based non-discriminatory approach was needed to admit new members.

India and Pakistan are the two non-NPT states aspiring for the membership of the 48-member nuclear grouping.

Aziz also said that security agencies are in the process of compiling more evidence against arrested alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav. He said that legal proceedings against Jadhav would begin soon.

Pakistan claims its security forces had arrested Jadhav from Balochistan in March and alleged that he was “a serving officer in the Indian Navy.” It accused Jadhav of planning “subversive activities” in the country.

India has acknowledged that Jadhav had served with the navy but denied that he has any connection with the government.