India to its citizens: Pakistan is not safe, avoid it

NEW DELHI: Fearing trouble for its nationals in Pakistan, India on Thursday advised them to avoid being in the neighbouring country even as it rubbished as "hogwash" the reports that some Indians were involved in terrorism there.

In the first such advisory since the 1971 war, the Ministry of External Affairs cautioned that travel to and presence in Pakistan was not safe for Indians in the wake of media reports there that some Indians have been held on the charge of terrorism.

New Delhi said the reported "arrests" in Lahore and Multan were suspected to have been made by elements who work outside of civilian control as top police officers there were ignorant about any such development.

Media reports in Pakistan have claimed that "Indian nationals" identified as Satish Anand Shukla, Ram Kumar, Ram Chandar and Prakash were arrested for a bomb blast in Lahore two days back.

"It is hogwash and meant to confuse people," Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma told reporters when asked to comment on reports on the arrests.



External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash said "there have been reports in the Pakistani media that several Indian nationals have been arrested over the last two days in Lahore and Multan and are being accused of being terrorists."

He said "since it has also been reported in the Pakistani media yesterday that the senior police officer in Lahore was unaware of the arrest in his city, it seems that this is the work of other agencies in Pakistan that operate outside the law and civilian control."

"Indian citizens are, therefore, advised that it would be unsafe for them to travel or be in Pakistan," Prakash said