Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Wednesday said there is no question of contacting the Indian side for dialogue now.
Speaking to reporters in the federal capital, Qureshi said Indian government lacks the courage to initiate dialogue on the matter concerning Kashmir. Referring to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s repeated offer for talks, he recalled that Islamabad pushed for dialogues for a year but India remained non-committal. “There is no chance now – first India should lift the curfew derailing routine movement in the occupied valley and release the civilians, activists, and leaders imprisoned,” he said, and blamed Modi for undermining the spirit of bilateralism.
Qureshi says 14 petitions filed against Modi’s decision to revoke special status of Kashmir is a test for Indian Supreme Court
Qureshi said under the Simla Agreement, both Pakistan and India are bound to bilaterally resolve the Kashmir dispute. “Modi should tell the world whether his measures on August 5 are bilateral or unilateral. It is the Indian prime minister who has undermined the spirit of bilateralism,” the foreign minister said, pointing out that India’s unilateral actions in the occupied valley are in clear breach of the United Nations Security Council resolutions and the international laws.
Qureshi noted that 14 petitions have been filed in the Indian Supreme Court against the Modi government’s decision to revoke the special status of Kashmir. “It is a test of the Indian Supreme Court whether it gives the judgement independently or succumbs to Modi’s pressure,” he added.
The foreign minister said the final decision about closure of Pakistan’s airspace for India has not been taken yet and that the matter will be decided after consultation. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan will be the voice of the Kashmiri people before the international community during his address at the UN General Assembly next month. The prime minister will also hold bilateral meetings and attend other events in New York on the sidelines of the General Assembly session, he added.
Expressing concern at the ongoing clampdown in occupied valley, Qureshi said the besieged residents are facing shortage of essential commodities including food items and life-saving medicines. He noted that the police force in the valley comprises many Muslims, and is reluctant to use violence against the civilians. That was why the Indian authorities are taking back weapons from the police personnel, he added.
The minister observed that the Indian move has shifted the global community’s focus. “Today, the western media which has been our strong critic in the past has been highlighting the human rights situation in the occupied valley,” he said. “Despite India’s opposition to a closed-door meeting, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) went ahead with the meeting on Kashmir. You see, the perception is changing,” he added.
