ISLAMABAD - Pakistan, on Monday, rejected Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s accusation that Pakistan was trying to influence the assembly elections in Gujarat, describing it as “utterly baseless and irresponsible”.
In a tweet, Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal said India should stop dragging Pakistan into its electoral debate. He added that electoral victories should be won on one’s own strength rather than fabricated conspiracies.
India should stop dragging Pakistan into its electoral debate and win victories on own strength rather than fabricated conspiracies, which are utterly baseless and irresponsible.
— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 11, 2017
Addressing a rally in Gujarat on Sunday, Modi referred to a Facebook post by the former Director General of the Pakistan Army Sardar Arshad Rafiq, saying that senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel should be the next Gujarat chief minister, read a Hindustan Times report.
The Indian premier also attacked Congress’ suspended leader Mani Shankar Aiyar over the latter’s “neech aadmi” (low-class man) jibe at him and drew a connection between his remark and Pakistan’s interference.
“There were media reports yesterday about a meeting at Mani Shankar Aiyar’s house. It was attended by Pakistan’s high commissioner, Pakistan’s former foreign minister, India’s former vice president and former prime minister Manmohan Singh,” Modi claimed.
Modi, on December 9, also said that Aiyar had spoken in Pakistan about “a supari [contract] to get Modi out of the way” to end the deadlock between the two neighbouring countries.