Hailing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for highlighting Islamabad’s atrocities on Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Balochistan, Mehran Marri, the representative of Balochistan at the UNHRC and European Union, on Monday hoped New Delhi intervenes on the issue like it did to stop genocide in Bangladesh.
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Prime Minister Modi’s reference to Balochistan, which is an integral part of Pakistan, only proves Pakistan’s contention that India through its main intelligence agency RAW, has been fomenting terrorism in Balochistan.
He said there can not be any comparison between the situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Drawing a comparison with previous governments, Modi said in the last two years his government has provided gas connections to over 4 crore people in just 60 weeks while only 14 crore had gas connection in past 60 years.
Mr Modi’s third Independence Day speech as Prime Minister comes as the government is struggling to curtail the violence that erupted in the Kashmir Valley after 22-year-old terrorist Burhan Wani was killed on July 8 by security forces.
The Prime Minister said efforts by his government have led to 99.5 per cent of past dues of sugarcane farmers in Uttar Pradesh being cleared and 95 per cent of crop being sold this season being already paid for.
Questioning how Balochistan was included despite Indian Foreign Minister’s admission in Islamabad that Pakistan had not provided “even a shred of evidence”, Ravi Shankar Prasad had said: “We want to ask Prime Minister Manmohan Singh why Balochistan was included in the declaration in Sharm-el Sheik”.
India accuses Pakistan of arming and training Kashmiri rebels who have been fighting for independence or for a merger with Pakistan since 1989.
Modi mentioned about the pan-India Goods and Services (GST) tax regime that he said would strengthen the economy.
Pakistan celebrated Independence Day on Sunday, and tens of thousands of Kashmiris on the Indian side rallied and hoisted Pakistani flags and chanted “Long Live Pakistan” and “Go India, go back”. “Our government is planning to open museums all over the country to glorify their role so that future generations can know about their sacrifices”, Modi said.
He said terrorism had become an worldwide issue and Pakistan was ready to share its expertise with countries on counter-terrorism. In another town, a pro-Pakistan rally was dispersed by police, resulting in clashes in which at least six people were injured. “I want to offer my gratitude to these people”. Referring to Peshawar school attack in which more than 140 people, a lot of them children, were killed, the Prime Minister said India’s Parliament and the country’s schools and children had felt the pain as the country has strong foundation of humanity.
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He added that out of the eight proposed segments of dialogue with India, Pakistan would always give priority to Kashmir issue. “The road of militancy and terrorism does not help anyone”.
