Addressing a large gathering of party workers and people against the recent wave of violence and killings in Indian-held Kashmir, he said the issue of Kashmir evolved on the basis of ideology and not regionalism. He urged the prime minister to appoint a deputy foreign minister to deal with the atrocities of the Indian occupation forces in held Kashmir.
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Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Pakistan to attend the meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation’s (SAARC) home/interior ministers on August 3 and 4. They said that India must restore mobile phone and internet services in the occupied region and lift a ban on publication of local newspapers in Kashmir.
Protests broke out across Kashmir Valley on July 9, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces in southern part of Jammu and Kashmir.
At least 53 civilians have been killed and thousands maimed in forces’ action on protesters after Wani’s death since July 09.
Since 1989, Kashmiri resistance groups in IHK have been fighting against Indian rule for independence, or for unification with neighboring Pakistan. The GoP believes that Kashmir is a disputed territory and isn’t claiming Azad Kashmir as its part.
However, India has squarely accused Pakistan of a hand in creating the unrest.
He appealed to Islamabad to use its influence at the global level and help resolve the Kashmir dispute.
Indian Army Colonel N.N. Joshi said Saturday that the clashes occurred overnight in Naugam sector, almost 120 kilometers northwest of the main city of Srinagar, after Indian troops intercepted the militants attempting to infiltrate into the territory from Pakistan. “But I don’t think that we will get any result after holding talks with Pakistan”, said Agarwal.
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During his stay in Pakistan, the minister will be representing India at the 7th meeting of SAARC ministers of Interior/Home but there is no bilateral meeting scheduled with his Pakistani counterpart, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.
