Foreign journos unable to cross over as Pakistan had shut Wagah

New Delhi, Aug 5 (UNI) The Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday that it had nothing to do with five India-based foreign journalists not being allowed to cross the Wagah border as it was Pakistan that had shut the land border crossing.
MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, in answer to a question whether India had denied permission to the five New Delhi-based journalists from crossing over to Pakistan, said: “I think Pakistan itself is not aware that they are the ones who shut down the cross over via the Attari-Wagah integrated check post.
“I understand that the request was made earlier, only this Monday actually, regarding cross over by some foreign journalists based in New Delhi. This could not take place due to the crossing being closed by Pakistan some time ago,” he added.
Pakistan had shut the land border crossing due to the rising coronavirus cases in India.
Islamabad was planning to take the international journalists to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir to attend the legislative assembly there, as part of planned activities to protest the changed status of Jammu and Kashmir by India.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry and National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf in separate tweets on Wednesday had criticized India over the incident.