Shahid Denies Sovereignty Impact in India Agreements, Accuses PNC of Fearmongering

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During a concluding rally for the Male’ mayoral campaign, former Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid asserted that the Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) government, led by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, consciously avoided entering into any agreements with India that might compromise the nation’s sovereignty.

Shahid took aim at the People’s National Congress (PNC), alleging that while they claimed adverse impacts from India-related agreements during the presidential campaign, no such documents were disclosed after assuming power. In response to PNC concerns, Shahid emphasized that assertions of undisclosed agreements with India, containing clauses infringing upon sovereignty, were merely fearmongering tactics to unsettle the public.

Mocking the government’s purported sluggishness in reviewing these agreements, Shahid sarcastically remarked on their “study” of even two agreements per day over the past 55 days, underscoring that despite the time invested, the details of these agreements remain undisclosed.

Assuring the public of the MDP government’s dedication to safeguarding national interests, Shahid declared, “There will be no agreement in the MDP government that will harm a single sand grain in this country.”

Presidential Under-Secretary for Public Policy Mohammed Firzul alleged, during a press conference on the second day of the Muizzu administration, that the MDP government had engaged in over 100 agreements with India in the past five years, excluding those tied to project implementation. Despite this revelation, no substantial action has been taken on these agreements, except for the decision not to renew the hydrographic agreement signed by the previous government with India—a move whose official announcement is still pending.