Reacting strongly to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s comments on Jammu & Kashmir, India has said that the people of the State have peacefully chosen their destiny. Terming Sharif’s comments on J&K as ‘untenable’, India has said that it would “like to set the record straight” on the floor of United Nations.
“Right-to-reply is something that a country can use. The Prime Minister is going to make his statement in a forward looking manner. Certainly India will use its right-to-reply and set the record straight. This will be done on the floor of UN and it would be done today,” said Syed Akbaruddin, official spokesperson for Ministry of External Affairs.
During his speech at the United Nations General Assembly, Sharif said that more than six decades ago, the United Nations passed resolutions to hold a plebiscite in Jammu & Kashmir. “The people of J&K are still waiting for the fulfillment of that promise. Many generations of Kashmiris have lived their lives under occupation, accompanied by violence and abuse of their fundamental rights. Kashmiri women, in particular, have undergone immense suffering and humiliation,” Sharif said.
The Pakistan PM added that a ‘veil’ cannot be drawn on the issue of Kashmir even as he blamed India for the cancellation of the Foreign Secretary-level talks in August. Sharif had said it was another missed opportunity to settle disputes and build economic and trade relations.
Responding to his address, Indian officials said that the people of J&K have peacefully chosen their destiny in accordance with universally accepted democratic principles. India also said that the Pakistan PM made “unwarranted references” in his address to the UN session.
“I would like to bring to the notice of this august House that the people of Jammu & Kashmir have peacefully chosen their destiny in accordance with the universally accepted democratic principles and practices and they continue to do so. We, therefore, reject in their entirety the untenable comments of the distinguished delegate of Pakistan,” said Abhishek Singh, First Secretary in the Indian mission to the UN in the General Assembly.
In New Delhi, political parties condemned Sharif’s statement on Kashmir. The Congress said Sharif’s speech had “imprints” of Pakistani military hawks as the Prime Minister and his Government was “under siege” in Islamabad.
“It is unbecoming of a Prime Minister to use an international forum to rake up issues which in fact concern only Pakistan and India. Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of country and it is not an issue which is negotiable,” said Congress leader Anand Sharma.
“The only concern we have is about Pakistan-occupied Kashmir where people don't have freedom, they don't enjoy their fundamental rights,” Sharma said.