New Delhi has dubbed “baseless” a BBC report claiming that the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) members in Pakistan have told U.K. authorities that they had received Indian government funds.
Reacting to the report, a spokesperson of the External Affairs Ministry said: “The BBC report on India training MQM members is completely baseless. Shortcomings of governance cannot be rationalised by blaming neighbours.”
The report claims New Delhi has given training to members of the MQM, a dominant political outfit in Karachi, in north and north-eastern States. “…Before 2005-06, the training was given to a small number of mid-ranking members of the MQM,” the official said. “More recently, greater numbers of more junior party members have been trained,” the BBC report says.
The BBC report comes close on the heels of an ongoing and protracted war of words between India and Pakistan. Both countries have been exchanging accusations over denial of visas — while Pakistan denied visas to yoga instructors, India refused to grant visa to an official deputed to join the Pakistani High Commission in Delhi. India’s plea at the U.N. for action against Pakistan for releasing 26/11 mastermind > Zakirur Rahman Lakhvi have been blocked by China .
