Speaking at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, Pakistan’s prime minister Nawaz Sharif glorified Burhan Wani, condemned India’s violence, and demanded independence for Indian-controlled Kashmir.
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Sharif hailed Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani as the “latest symbol of the Kashmiri intifada (uprising), of a popular and peaceful freedom movement”.
The main opposition party said the government should build a strong and factual case for India in front of the worldwide community and wanted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consult all political parties before deciding on “concrete and tangible steps” in the wake of the Pakistani onslaught.
Barely two days after the terror attack in Uri, two infiltration bids were made from across the border in Kashmir yesterday but they were foiled by the Army in an encounter in which 10 terrorists and a jawan were killed even as Pakistani troops violated ceasefire and fired at Indian positions.
He also said that Pakistan was “open to discussing all measures of restraint and responsibility with India, in any forum or format and without any conditions”.
During the prime minister’s meeting with the world leaders, the foreign secretary said that everyone praised Pakistan’s performance in economic revival, energy deficit and counterterrorism. “We have always been ready for a dialogue, but we will not succumb to blackmail tactics (from) the government in Islamabad that seems eager to use terrorists and terrorism”.
Word that USA is asking Islamabad to cap its nuclear weapons program came from both Pakistani and USA officials amid Pakistan’s rising tensions with India and deteriorating relations with other SAARC countries and beyond. Pakistan has given shelter to terrorists.
“It extends support to extremist groups, it suppresses minorities and women and denies basic human rights including through draconian laws”, she added.
In one of the deadliest attacks on the Indian Army in recent years, 18 soldiers were killed and as many others injured as heavily armed militants stormed a battalion headquarters of the force in Kashmir’s Uri town early Sunday. Both countries have been engaged in a war of words which they had threatened to escalate during their respective visits to the UN General Assembly.
She also recalled an ancient seat of learning to draw parallels with the terror machinery present in Pakistan.
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According to a statement issued by the External Affairs Ministry, Basit was reminded that the Pakistan government “had made a solemn commitment in January 2004 to not allow its soil or territory under its control to be used for terrorism against India”.
