Khan warns of nuke war, ‘bloodbath’ in Kashmir
UNITED NATIONS, Sept 28 (AFP) - Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan warned the United Nations on Friday that his country’s dispute with India over Kashmir could escalate into an all-out nuclear war that would have consequences for the world.
In a fiery speech lasting 50 minutes, Khan said India could unleash a “bloodbath” in the Muslim-majority territory, as the nuclear-armed rivals took centre stage at the UN General Assembly.
His heated rhetoric stood in stark contrast to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address an hour earlier, when the Hindu nationalist leader touted domestic successes but made only an oblique reference to terrorism, taken to mean Pakistan.
The speeches occurred as thousands of rival protesters gathered outside the UN building to demonstrate, both against the clampdown in Kashmir and in support of Modi.
The Indian-controlled part of Kashmir has been under lockdown since New Delhi scrapped its semi-autonomous status in early August, and Khan said armed forces there would turn on the population after the curfew was lifted.
“There are 900,000 troops there, they haven’t come to, as Narendra Modi says -- for the prosperity of Kashmir,” Khan said. “These 900,000 troops, what are they going to do? When they come out? “There will be a bloodbath,” Khan told the General Assembly.
The 66-year-old Pakistani leader warned there could be a repeat of the fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbours seen in February if India blamed his country for what he said could be a home-grown militant attack in response to repression.