India accuses Pak of fanning discontent in Kashmir

Hitting out again at Pakistan over its strong comments on the Kashmir situation in the wake of militant Burhan Wani’s killing, India on Thursday said accused the neighbouring of not only pushing in terrorists but also fanning discontent within the Valley by providing support to terrorist outfits.

Asserting that the Wani issue was internal to India, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said Pakistan had no locus standi in the matter and asked it to refrain from interfering.

Pakistan raised the Kashmir issue at a UN forum as its envoy Maleeha Lodhi dubbed the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen Burhan Wani terrorist as an “extra judicial killing’.’ “Our internal affairs are solely ours to handle, anyone trying to interfere will not change that reality,’’ he said. His response came as Pakistan raised the Kashmir unrest issue at a high-level human rights forum at the UN. 

He added: “The world has a very clear view on which country in our region covets the territory of others and uses terrorism as an instrument of state policy.” Asked if there was a shift in the Pakistan strategy vis-a-vis Kashmir, where one sees an increase in the number of ‘home-grown militants’, he said, “It is part of the continued strategy of Pakistan of not only infiltrating terrorists from across the border but also fanning discontent within the Valley by providing various support to terrorist outfits.” 

“Terrorism is terrorism and no amount of justification on part of Pakistan is going to change that,” he said.

Upset with Pakistan’s attempt to once again internationalise the Kashmir issue and meddle in India’s internal matters, he said that had always been open to dialogue with Pakistan but talks and terror could not go hand-in-hand. 

On Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif convening a Cabinet meeting to discuss the situation in Kashmir and Pakistan Foreign Office briefing Ambassadors of the P5 countries, Swarup said: “It is a self-serving exercise for narrow political ends.’’ 

Referring to summoning of Indian envoy in Islamabad by the Pakistan Foreign Office to raise the Kashmir situation, Swarup said, the envoy conveyed to Pakistan that it was an internal matter of India, adding that India had rejected the demarche issued in the matter to him.

Rejecting reports that Pakistan envoy Abdul Basit would be summoned on the issue, Swarup said since it was an internal issue, India saw no reason to involve Pakistan, which had no locus standi in the matter.

He added that the recent comments made by Pakistan, after the killing of Hizbul commander Wani, reflect its continued attachment to terrorism and its usage as an instrument of State policy.

While Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has expressed “shock” over Wani’s killing, his Foreign Office has termed it “extra-judicial”. 

On Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed statement that the protests in Kashmir would be intensified and warning that deaths in the region would not be in vain, Swarup said it was incumbent upon Pakistan to reign-in such elements in order to ensure peace.