Developments in Bangladesh, Pakistan internal matter: India

India on Thursday declined to comment on developments in Pakistan and Bangladesh, saying they are internal affairs of those countries.

India on Thursday declined to comment on developments in Pakistan and Bangladesh, saying they are internal affairs of those countries.

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"The matter was entirely internal to Pakistan and we have no comments to offer," external affairs ministry spokesperson Vishnu Prakash told reporters.

He was responding to a question on Pakistan Supreme Court's decision to disqualify former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, also leader of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), and his brother Shahbhaz Sharif, chief minister of Punjab, from contesting the elections.

The Supreme Court's decision on Wednesday is widely seen as another development that has intensified political instability in Pakistan and comes at a time when that country is grappling with ripple effects of economic meltdown, insurgency and terrorism.

It also comes at a time when Pakistan's establishment is under increasing international pressure to respond to India's allegations about the complicity of its nationals in the Mumbai terror attacks.

Although India has officially chosen not to comment due to sensitivities of the neighbouring country, New Delhi is closely monitoring developments in Pakistan.

"This is an internal matter for Bangladesh. We are confident that they will resolve the situation amicably," the spokesperson said when asked about developments in Bangladesh.

"As regards our border (with Bangladesh), the area is safe and secure," he underlined.

India on Wednesday put its frontier guards on maximum alert along the Bangladesh border following a border guards mutiny in the neighbouring country and is watching closely developments there that may have an impact on its border security.

"It is their internal affair. "It's their problem and they are dealing with it," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in New Delhi on Wednesday.

"It's not our practice to make comments on internal affairs of any country, especially a neighbouring county. India's borders are safe and secure," Mukherjee said.