Responding to Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry’s invitation, India’s Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar expressed his willingness to travel to Islamabad to discuss aspects related to cross-border terrorism which are central to the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
Advertisement
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters here on Wednesday, “The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights today (Wednesday) expressed deep regret at the failure of Indian and Pakistani authorities to grant his office access to Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, given recent allegations of serious human rights violations”.
Citizens in different cities of Balochistan took to the streets on Thursday in protest against India-backed terrorism and interference in the province and statements from their Prime Minister Narendra Modi. With its counter-offer, India once again effectively dismissed Pakistan’s attempts to meddle in India’s internal affairs by offers for talks on Kashmir.
My own predecessor had commented on this issue.
In a first for any Prime Minister in an August 15 address, Modi referred to human rights abuses in Balochistan and the part of Kashmir Pakistan controls.
The statement said, “The letter highlights the worldwide obligation of both the countries, India and Pakistan, to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions”. Over 80 Kashmiris have been martyred, over 100 have lost their eye-sight due to pellet guns fire and thousands others injured by Indian forces. “He (Modi) crossed the red line by talking about Balochistan”, Zakaria added.
Speaking in a programme aired on a state-run television, FO spokesman Nafees Zakaria said the worldwide community considers Kashmir a disputed territory.
Zakaria said Pakistan had proposed to India to hold talks on Kashmir.
By making references twice in two days, the Indian Prime Minister has conveyed a message that he is ready to pursue the path of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who used so-called atrocities against Bengalis as an excuse to intervene militarily in the then East Pakistan leading to dismemberment of Pakistan.
Advertisement
Vikas Swarup refused to divulge India’s future strategy regarding PoK and Balochistan.
