No comments, says India on Imran Khan driving Pakistan into political turmoil
Hindustan TimesNEW DELHI: The external affairs ministry on Thursday declined to comment on the political turmoil in Pakistan arising from Prime Minister Imran Khan’s sudden decision to dissolve Parliament and said it was an internal matter of the neighbouring country. New Delhi articulated its hands-off approach hours after Pakistan’s Supreme Court completed hearings to decide petitions that challenge National Assembly deputy speaker, Qasim Suri’s ruling to dismiss the no-confidence motion. But in course of the hearing on Thursday, Pakistan’s Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial noted that deputy speaker Qasim Suri’s move to dismiss a no-confidence motion against embattled Imran Khan was, prima facie, a violation of Article 95 of the Constitution. Minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan told Rajya Sabha earlier that the government’s consistent position has been that India “desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan and is committed to addressing issues, if any, bilaterally and peacefully in an atmosphere free of terror, hostility and violence”.