Myanmar foreign ministry summons Pak envoy to censure over Rohingya

YANGON: Myanmar's Foreign Office Friday summoned Pakistan's Ambassador to Yangon, Dr Tariq, and conveyed concerns over Islamabad's statement on the country's Rohingya Muslim minority.

The Pakistani envoy was summoned to record a protest over Pakistan's highlighting of the Rohingya issue.

The Burmese Foreign Office reiterated the narrative of majority of Burmese people, who consider Rohingya people as illegal Bengali immigrants. It coveyed that former UN secretary general Kofi Annan didn't even use the word 'Rohingya' in his report.

The Burmese foreign secretary was present at the time Pakistan's Ambassador Dr. Khalid Memon was summoned to the Foreign Office.

It has been learnt that Myanmar conveyed there have been some 12000 militants engaged in fighting (in the troubled Rakhine state).

Earlier this month, the Pakistan Foreign Ministry had summoned Myanmar's envoy in Islamabad, U Win Myint, to record a protest against the persecution of the Rohingya.

Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua stressed for effective measures to prevent the recurrence of such violence, providing security to Rohingya Muslims and upholding their rights to live and move without fear and discrimination, the Radio Pakistan had reported.

The Burmese ambassador assured the foreign secretary to convey the concerns of the government and people of Pakistan to the Myanmar government.