Pakistani exiles in UK not on ‘hit list’, Pakistan rejects Guardian report

Pakistan on Tuesday “categorically rejected” a report published in The Guardian, which alleges that Pakistan was cracking down on dissidents abroad, adding that such accusations were baseless.

Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said that the unsubstantiated allegations appeared to be part of the rather “blatant on-going misinformation campaign” against Pakistan to malign the country and its state institutions.

“Pakistan is a parliamentary democracy with a vibrant civil society, free media, and independent judiciary, which remains fully committed to the promotion and protection of human rights for all its citizens without discrimination,” said the FO spokesperson. “Our strong commitment to the right to freedom of opinion and expression is demonstrated by the presence of scores of vibrant media channels and newspapers in the country.”

Chaudhri said it was regrettable that any news outlet provided a “platform for the peddling of unsubstantiated and false narratives against Pakistan”.

British security sources are understood to be concerned that Pakistan might be prepared to target individuals on British soil, said a report published in The Guardian.

According to the report, there are further warnings given by other intelligence services across Europe to Pakistani dissidents, including rights activists from Balochistan, journalists, and members of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM).

“If there is illegal pressure, in particular on journalists in the UK, then I would expect the law enforcement agencies and the British government to take notice of that and to make an appropriate legal and/or diplomatic response,” said Mark Lyall Grant, former UK High Commissioner to Pakistan.