Afghanistan also blames Pakistan for supporting the rebel Taliban to overthrow the Ashraf Ghani government in Kabul. This development comes in the wake of India turning down Pakistan’s invitation to hold talks in Jammu and Kashmir, following which Islamabad briefed the ambassadors of the five United Nations permanent members and the envoy of the European Union on its exchange of letters with India.
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“I want to speak a bit about the people in Balochistan, Gilgit, Baltistan, and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir”, the Prime Minister said in his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort.
In his latest response to his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry’s fresh invitation for talks, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar once again emphasised the need for earliest possible vacation of Islamabad’s illegal occupation of PoK and conveyed that not just India but the larger region is aware that Pakistan is actually a “prime perpetrator” of terrorism. He also briefed the ambassadors on the exchange of letters between the foreign secretaries of the two countries.
“The Foreign Secretary has made it explicit that the agenda before India and Pakistan today is to to put an end to cross-border terrorism and incitement to violence from Pakistan”, the MEA spokesman said.
“The worldwide community, especially the permanent members of the UN Security Council and the European Union have an important role to uphold the principles of human rights and global humanitarian law”, said the adviser to the prime minister on foreign affairs.
Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said Friday that the oppressive measures by India can not deter Kashmiris from their just struggle for self-determination.
Aziz, on the occasion, regretted India’s refusal for holding talks on the issue with Pakistan.
Kashmir has been divided between rivals India and Pakistan since 1947, but both claim the territory in its entirety.
“Pakistan welcomes the UN Secretary General’s offer and would be ready to engage in a dialogue to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute”, reiterated Aziz.
India is involved in grave human rights violations, adviser Aziz brought it to the notice of esteemed guests from P-5 and European Union countries. “They also acknowledged the importance of dialogue to address this long standing issue and the prevailing grave situation”, it said.
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The war of words between the two nations comes amid a strain in bilateral ties over the continuing unrest in Kashmir with Islamabad issuing provoking statements on the turmoil following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani last month.
