Pak's diplomatic efforts foiled India's NSG bid: Sartaj Aziz

Sartaj Aziz, Adviser to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Foreign Affairs, has said that it was Islamabad's intensive diplomatic lobbying which prevented India from gaining entry into the 48-member Nuclear Supplier Group's (NSG).

"Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif personally wrote letters to 17 prime ministers of different countries on the matter, which is on record," Dawn quoted Aziz as saying at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad.

The NSG on Thursday failed to reach consensus on New Delhi's membership application after few members of the international nuclear trade cartel insisted on adhering to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) condition for admission.

India is a non-signatory of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

 

Despite being openly backed by the United States President Barack Obama, the move was a setback for India.

India and Pakistan, both a non-NPT states are aspiring for the membership of the 48-member international nuclear trade cartel.

Regarding the arrest of alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav,

Aziz said the security agencies are in the process of compiling more evidence against the former adding that that legal proceedings would begin against Jadhav soon.

On the issue of the Afghan Taliban, Aziz acknowledged that the Pakistani government categorises Taliban into 'good' and 'bad' groups and that the government is trying to push 'good Taliban groups' for resumption of dialogue.

"In the prevailing situation, the Afghan Taliban do not seem interested in resuming talks," he said.

The advisor added that the government has taken decisive action against all Taliban groups in tribal areas.

"Consultations with security establishment is a normal thing as United States [too] consult its security establishment in foreign policy matters,"he added.