Pak using ‘poison’ instead of dialogue: India

India on Monday reiterated that the terrorist attack in Kashmir (Uri) had exposed Pakistan's desire to use "poison" instead of dialogue as it lodged a strong protest against Islamabad at the NAM summit here, alleging  its "mischievous" and "malignant" support to terror.

MoS for External Affairs MJ Akbar has hit out at Pakistan, saying it had reduced itself to "pariah" status in the international community because of its hypocrisy and its blatant sponsorship of terrorism and of terrorists.

Speaking to reporters after Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz raised the Kashmir issue here at the 17th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit, Akbar slammed Pakistan for giving "sanctuary and support to both domestic and international to terrorists" and investing in the evil menace of terrorism.

He said India had lodged a strong protest in writing with NAM against Pakistan's "mischievous, malignant use of terrorism, particularly evident even as the summit is taking place in the aftermath of the tragic incident at Uri".

"The tragic incident at Uri has highlighted Pakistan's desire to use poison instead of dialogue. We will never accept the use of brutality as an instrument in international affairs," he said.

"The incident in Uri is a grave incident and not only India but the world is aggrieved by it. Pakistan should understand that it will be given a befitting reply and no one will back Pakistan on this," he asserted.

Akbar said that one of the important developments of the NAM summit was the fact that 118 nations out of 120 have supported a stand on terrorism and wanted a working group on terrorism. “The incoming president of NAM has assured us that terrorism will be high if not the highest on his objectives.

Eighteen Indian soldiers were killed in the terror attack at an army base in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, by suspected Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) militants early Sunday morning.

"Pakistan's inability to support the idea of a working group is further evidence that it has always been a sponsor. If it was not a sponsor, why was it afraid of setting up a working group," Akbar asserted.

Asked about Pakistan's continued campaign of raising Kashmir issue on the global platforms, Akbar said, "The world understands that our position in Kashmir is legitimate. It has the backing of history and equally important it has the backing of moral behaviour in international affairs".

"And that is why Pakistan's continuous invidious attempts to keep raising the issue get no traction. It's a voice crying in the wilderness," he said.