Only accompanied wife to Pak in 2013 on personal trip: Gaurav

Guwahati: Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi, who faced allegations of a “Pakistan link” from CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and BJP,, on Monday said he only accompanied his wife, Elizabeth Colburn Gogoi, to Pakistan, where he visited Islamabad, Lahore, and also went to Takshashila in Rawalpindi in 2013.





In his reply to CM Sarma, who on Sunday asked Gaurav to come clean on his 10-day Pakistan trip, Gaurav said while Elizabeth visited Pakistan for work-related purposes after working there for a year in 2012, he only accompanied her on a 10-day trip in 2013 to see the lifestyle, markets, and places in Pakistan. Gogoi refuted charges of his wife leaking any sensitive information to Pakistan or having an active bank account in Pakistan at present.







“My wife was in Pakistan in 2012 for a year during her stint in an international programme. She worked there on an international climate change programme. Then she came to India to work under the same programme, which is funded by British and Netherlands govts. I went to Pakistan with her to see how she spent her life there in Pakistan, where she was living, and what her lifestyle was,” said Gogoi, clarifying that the same programme continued in South America, Africa, and Asian nations.





“SIT of Assam Police did not approach me to ask where I spent those 10 days in Pakistan. I would have happily answered,” Gaurav said. He added that he went to Pakistan only after getting clearance on a visa, and following necessary security clearance.