The row over Pakistani journalist Aroosa Alam reached a notch higher on Saturday as former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh released some photos through his media adviser Raveen Thukral on Saturday. Aroosa Alam is a friend of Amarinder Singh whose apparent links with Pakistan ISI is now being questioned by the Congress government in Punjab. Amarinder Singh on Saturday released purported photos of former Punjab DGP Mohammad Mustafa’s wife and daughter-in-law with Aroosa Alam. “Mixing politics with friendship! Aroosa Alam personally cherishes these and many more such memories with your family,” Captain wrote.

The former DGP replied on Twitter and addressing Amarinder Singh’s media advisor, he said even during bitter fights ‘we draw a line’.

Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Friday said Aroosa Alam’s link with the ISI should be probed. Later, the minister clarified that the Research and Analysis Wing take up this investigation. Tagging Amarinder Singh on Twitter, the deputy chief minister asked the Captain why he got so perturbed over Aroosa Alam’s issue.

‘Aroosa Alam has been coming to India for 16 years with govt permission’: Amarinder Singh

The war of words went on with Amarinder Singh clarifying that Aroosa Alam’s India connection is not new. She has been coming to India for the past 16 years with the due clearance from the government of India, Amarinder Singh said. The former Punjab chief minister also clarified that he sponsored Aroosa Alam’s visa for the past 16 years. “Requests for such visas are sent by Indian high commission to MEA which gets them cleared by RAW and IB before approving. And that’s what happened, in this case, every time,” Amarinder Singh clarified on Friday.

Amarinder Singh also said that a detailed inquiry was conducted in 2007 when he was not Punjab’s chief minister by the National Security Adviser on the instruction of then prime minister. “You still want to waste Punjab’s resources on this? I will help you with whatever you need,” Captain said.

Who is Aroosa Alam and what is the controversy?

The daughter of a Pakistani politician, Aroosa Alam is a defence journalist. Captain reportedly met her for the first time in 2004 when he went to Pakistan. Since then, Aroosa visited India on several occasions and was seen with Amarinder Singh. The issue has been raked up with Amarinder Singh’s relationship with the Congress becoming bitter every day since his resignation from the post of the chief minister. While he expressed his disappointment with the Congress leadership, he now has announced that he will float a new party that might be open to alliance with the BJP.