Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, as expected, strongly raised the issue of alleged violations of human rights in Kashmir in his speech at United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Wednesday.
Shairf accused India of being in ‘illegal occupation’ of Jammu And Kashmir, and has demanded a plebiscite and in independent inquiry into the deaths in the current unrest.
Firmly supporting the struggle of Kashmiris for freedom, Sharif said that peace cannot be achieved between India and Pakistan without resolving Kashmir issue.
In his speech at the 71st Session of the UNGA in New York, Sharif said, “The UN security council has called for the exercise of the right to self-determination by the people of Jammu And Kashmir through a free and fair plebiscite held under UN auspices.”
Also Read: Bill To Designate Pakistan As A Terrorist State Moved By US Lawmakers
While stating that Pakistan wants peace with India, Sharif said that Pakistan demanded talks with India but India has ‘imposed preconditions’.
He said, “Peace and normalization between India and Pakistan can’t be achieved without discussion of Jammu And Kashmir.”
By calling the the current struggle of the Kashmiris as legitimate he said, “Pakistan fully supports the demand of the Kashmiri people.” He Also hailed the Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, who was recently killed by the security forces in Kashmir, which triggered the recent unrest.
Sharif also mentioned that Pakistan has been a major victim of terrorism and said that his country carried the major anti-terrorism operation Zarb-e-Azb, to fight against home-grown terrorist outfits.
Asserting that the whole international community should suppress Daesh (Islamic State), he raised concerns over rising ‘Islamophobia and Xenophobia’.
He said, “We will not win the fight against terrorism, as long as we do not address its root cause which lie in the poverty and ignorance.”
However, India hits back strongly to Nawaz Sharif’s speech by alleging that Pakistan is a ‘terrorist state’ and accused it for carrying out ‘war crimes’ against India through its ‘long-standing policy’ of sponsoring terrorism.
Read Also: Despite Pakistan’s Continuous Efforts UN Secretary General Keeps Kashmir Issue Aside In UNGA Speech
India further added that the UN-designated terrorists roam free in Pakistan on streets with state’s support. India added that it is ironical that country who supports terrorism speaks about violations of human rights.
India’s first secretary in the permanent mission of India to the UN Eenam Gambhir said, “The worst violation of human rights is terrorism.”
She added, “When practiced as an instrument of state policy it is a war crime. What my country and our other neighbors are facing today is Pakistan's long-standing policy of sponsoring terrorism, the consequences of which have spread well beyond our region.”
India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is also expected to raise the issue of recent Uri Attack and Pakistan’s support to terrorism in her speech at the UNGA on September 26.
Also Read: Let’s Boycott SAARC Meet In Pakistan: Afghanistan To India
By Prajakt K
