Abdul Basit criticises India for trying to isolate Pakistan on terrorism

Amidst simmering tension in Indo-Pak ties, Pakistan slammed India on Monday for trying to isolate it on terrorism, claiming that the country has been worst sufferers of the problem itself.

Pakistan went a step further as it called for sustained diplomacy to forge an "effective cooperative paradigm" and improve relations.

Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit said the issue of Jammu and Kashmir was the "root cause" of all problems between the two countries and that Pakistan does not need "misplaced jingoism and hyper nationalism" to pursue its foreign policy objectives.

"How on earth it is possible to isolate a country on terrorism when that country itself is the worst victim of terrorism," he said.

He was speaking at the Indian Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies here.

It is only through sustained diplomacy that Pakistan and India can address their issues and forge an effective cooperative paradigm to their mutual benefit, he said.

Talking about his country's ties with India, he said Kashmir issue "has made us mutually antagonistic. Let its just resolution unite us in peace and prosperity."

"Pakistan is a proud country of 200 million people. It does not need misplaced jingoism and hyper nationalism to pursue its foreign policy objectives," he said.

In the wake of Uri terror attack carried out by Pakistani terrorists, India has been trying to isolate Pakistan on terror internationally.