Pakistan has said that no Track-II or backdoor diplomacy is underway between Pakistan and India on cricket.

It should be noted that India has refused to come to Pakistan to play the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy 2025, after which the PCB and the government decided to take a tough stand against India.

On Thursday, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, while reacting to the matter, said no Track-II or backdoor diplomacy is going on between Pakistan and India on cricket.

During her weekly press briefing, the spokesperson said there is a long history of good friendly relations between Pakistan and the United States based on non-interference in each other's internal affairs. "We do not respond to rumours spread on an agenda," she added.

Ms Baloch stated that an Indian officer, Kulbhushan Yadav, was arrested from Balochistan a few years ago, adding that Pakistan had concerns over Indian activities in Balochistan.

She also said that Pakistan did not agree with the concept of visa ban on Pakistani citizens in the UAE, and will continue to discuss these issues with the UAE government.

She also said that Islamabad was in touch with China regarding the protection of Chinese citizens, companies, and projects in Pakistan, adding that any attempt to derail Pakistan-China partnership would not be allowed. "We are determined to protect Pakistan from all internal and external threats," she declared.

The FO spokesperson demanded the Afghan administration take action against the terrorist groups in Afghanistan, urging the Afghan administration to take Pakistan's repeated requests seriously and not to test the tolerance of the people of Pakistan too much.

She said that both Pakistan and Iran had repeatedly said they would not tolerate the presence of terrorist groups on their border.

Baloch further said Pakistan was determined to expand its relations and friendship with Bangladesh.

Exclusive conversation with Samaa TV

In an exclusive conversation with Samaa TV, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said the Pakistan Cricket Board was in touch with the ICC regarding India's stubbornness in travelling to Pakistan next year for the Champions Trophy.

She also said that repeated protests had been lodged with Afghanistan against the terrorism emanating from its soil on Pakistan, adding that other regional countries also had the same stance. "The Afghan administration will have to take action against terrorist groups," she stressed.

Baloch further remarked that even raising a question on Pakistan-China relations was wrong, as the strategic partnership between them continued.