PM’s Balochistan remark not a shift in policy: MEA

New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) Amid a debate over Prime MinisterNarendra Modi’s comments on Balochistan in his IndependenceDay address, External Affairs Ministry today indicated thatthe remarks did not constitute a policy shift as beingconstrued. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup saidthe Prime Minister had been thanked by people of Balochistanand Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, including Gilgit-Baltistan, forflagging their problems at an all-party meeting here last weekand, moved by their messages, he talked about them in hisspeech from the Red Fort. At the same time, he said, Modi also gave "certaininstructions" on the next course of action but refused todivulge details or how those instructions will be implemented. "I cannot at this stage share with you. However, MEA willdo what it has to because after all people of PoK are also ourpeople," he said. On Modi’s mention of Balochistan he said, "As to whetherthis constitutes a policy shift, let me say that Government ofIndia has made statements about the situation in Balochistanin the past as well. "My own predecessor had commented on this issue. The onlydifference this time was that the various messages the PrimeMinister had received had sufficiently moved him to share itwith the people of India." In his Independence Day speech on Monday, Modi had talkedabout the situation in PoK, Gilgit and Balochistan and saidpeople from there have thanked him for raising their issues. "The Prime Minister had been thanked by these people forflagging their cause in the all-party meeting which representsall political segments in India. Prime Minister wassufficiently moved by these messages of gratitude to share itwith the people of India in his Independence Day address." When asked about certain Baloch groups seeking recognitionfrom India, the MEA spokesperson said,"Don’t jumpt the gun".PTI MPBSK