PAK INFORMATION MINISTER’S COMMENTS UNFORTUNATE: PRASAD

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The Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad has said that the comments made by the Pakistan Information Minister, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed during his stay in Delhi to the media were clearly in bad taste and not in keeping with the spirit of SAARC. In a written statement released here today, Shri Prasad said, "I have been pained at the reports of the comments made by my distinguished colleague, the Hon’ble Minister of Information of Pakistan. We had welcomed him in India with open arms to take the SAARC process forward, and also to create opportunities for wider and freer interaction of and through the media. It is unfortunate that he used his presence to make negative comments about bilateral relations, India and some of our distinguished leaders. These were clearly in bad taste and not in keeping with the spirit of SAARC. The language used by the Pakistan Minister against the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of India is certainly in bad taste too. They represent some of the finest conduct in the public life of a democracy. I will not stoop to that level. We remain confident that the process initiated by the Prime Minister of India will continue since it has the support of the people in both India and Pakistan".