'Fake news': FO rebuts reports of IAEA delegation's visit to Pakistan

• FO reports about IAEA delegation’s visit to Pakistan as fake news.
• Director General IAEA visited Pakistan in Feb 2023, says Baloch. 
• Information minister Tarar says such propaganda will harm state.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch Friday rubbished the news circulating on media regarding the visit of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) delegation to Pakistan.

Responding to media queries regarding this visit, the FO spokesperson said any stories regarding the visit of a high-level IAEA delegation to Pakistan are “fake news”.

She said: “No official from IAEA is currently visiting Pakistan, nor are any policy talks planned in the near future with IAEA.”

Baloch clarified that Director General IAEA visited Pakistan in February 2023.

Speculations started circulating after a PTI US chapter official and several others shared a video clip from an Indian news segment by Zee News on a meeting between IAEA Director General (DG) Rafael Mariano Grossi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the social media platforms.

The video claimed that the government and the IAEA stuck a deal on the Islamabad’s nuclear weapons.

Taking to his X handle, formerly known as Twitter, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said: “Fake news from an anchor based abroad clearly rebutted. Such blatant lies and propaganda to harm the state based on malicious intent will be responded to. Make no mistake.”