WASHINGTON: Pakistan raised the issue of Indias involvement in Balochistan with the US, but provided no credible evidence to support their claim, says Americas special envoy Richard Holbrooke.
I would be misleading, if I said it didnt come up, said Mr Holbrooke when asked if Pakistan brought up this issue during his visit to the country last week.
Responding to the second part of the question if Pakistan also gave credible evidence to support its claim Mr Holbrooke said: The narrow answer to your question is no.
Pakistan raised this issue with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as well at a bilateral meeting in Egypt on July 16.
On Wednesday, Mr Singh defended the inclusion of Balochistan in an India-Pakistan joint statement issued after the meeting but said he received no dossier from his Pakistani counterpart on Indias alleged involvement.
The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Pakistan linked its action against the Lashkar-e-Taiba with New Delhi ending its covert operations in Balochistan.
The report said that in conversations with the Obama administration, Pakistans army chief indicated that India needed to stop meddling in Balochistan in return for Pakistans actions against the Lashkar.
At his briefing in Washington on Wednesday afternoon, Mr Holbrooke also refused to discuss occupied Kashmir, saying that it was outside his area of responsibility.