In a 45-minute interview to Karan Thapar for The Wire, given to launch his recently written account of his three and half years in India as High Commissioner called ‘Hostility, Abdul Basit discussed some of his sensational and shocking revelations. The book will be published sometime in April but its entire contents were made available by email to Karan Thapar.

Asked by The Wire on what grounds he claims Sharif pandered to India unilaterally and unconditionally, Basit said: “I watched our leader very very closely. I make this assertion on the basis of what I have seen when Nawaz Sharif came for Modi’s inauguration. It was uncalled for to unilaterally free Indian fishermen as a gesture of goodwill. At the meeting in Delhi Nawaz Sharif kept silent on Kashmir. He did not mention Kashmir even a single time. He also did not seek a meeting with Hurriyat. I had suggested he should”.