Pakistan condemns Modi for not allowing India-based foreign journalists to visit Pakistan

India has refused permission to allow five India-based international journalists to travel to Pakistan via Wagah.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi pointed out how the Indian government’s decision indicated that the space for free speech and independent journalism was shrinking in India under a “dictatorial regime”. Qureshi said the five journalists were to travel to Pakistan and were also to visit the Azad Kashmir Assembly.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also condemned New Delhi for refusing permission to the international journalists to visit Azad Kashmir. 

The minister took to Twitter and questioned India for its freedom of expression.

National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf said these “are the actions of an insecure government that has much to hide”.

Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari questioned whether the foreign journalists will expose the growing myth of Indian democracy under the fascist Modi regime.

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar tweeted, “We want the world to see what is happening in Azad Kashmir and they want to hide what is happening in Indian Occupied Kashmir. The difference between right and wrong cannot get more stark than this.”

A request by Pakistan to allow a group of five India-based foreign journalists to travel to Islamabad through Wagah has been declined by Indian authorities as the border crossing is virtually closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, reported Times of India.

The report stated that Pakistan planned to take the journalists for interactions with top political leadership and senior officials on the overall situation in Afghanistan.

“One of the persons familiar with the development said the visit was planned from August 3 to 7,” read the report.