India objects to Basit remark on Kashmir
strongly reacted to Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit’s remarks on J&K on Thursday, saying they are not in keeping with “diplomatic niceties and are tantamount to interference” in the country’s internal affairs.
The ministry of external affairs asserted that Pakistan would be well-advised to address the challenge of terrorism emanating from that country, which has adversely affected its ties with other nations.
“We have seen media reports about the Pakistan High Commissioner’s remarks today regarding the Indian state of J&K. They are not in keeping with diplomatic niceties and are tantamount to interference in our internal affairs. Pakistan would be well-advised to effectively address the challenge of terrorism emanating from that country, which has adversely affected peace and stability in the entire neighbourhood as well as Pakistan’s relations with other countries,” the ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said.
Addressing a gathering at an event at the high commission to mark Pakistan national day, Basit said an “independence movement” such as the one in J&K can be suppressed for some time but it cannot be finished off. Speaking in Urdu, he said, “Tarikh gawah hay ki azadi ki tehrik huyin hain unko waqti taur pe dabaya ja sakta lekin...khatam nahin kiya ja sakta. (History is witness that independence movements are such that they can be suppressed for some time…but they can’t be finished off.)” He added he hoped that the “struggle of the Kashmiris will…be successful”.
Meanwhile, in Islamabad Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain accused India of “jeop ardising” regional peace through “consistent” ceasefire violations. At the annual Repub lic Day military parade attended for the first time by troops from China and Saudi Arabia, Hus sain said: “Pakistan is ready for dialogue with India and wants resolution of the Kashmir dis pute, which is the unfinished agenda of the partition.”