Kashmir Smouldering Like a Volcano: Nawaz Sharif
Nawaz Sharif has expressed his satisfaction on the level of preparedness of Pakistani Armed Forces to match any provocation by Indian security forces.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif said Wednesday that Pakistan had no aggressive designs against any country; however it would forcefully respond if its national security was in danger.
Addressing a specially convened joint sitting of the parliament to discuss the situation in the “Indian Occupied Kashmir” and its aggressive posture, Sharif said Pakistan was a peace-loving country and desired peace in the entire region.
According to Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), a news site run by Pakistan government, Sharif said Pakistan wanted a peaceful resolution of the lingering Kashmir dispute. However, referring to India’s aggressive stance during the past few days, Sharif said Pakistan will not take any threat lightly and will not hesitate for a moment in responding.
He reiterated that without the resolution of the Kashmir dispute, there could not be any peace between Pakistan and India and in the entire region.
Sharif also praised Burhan Wani, a 22-year-old rebel leader who was killed by the Indian security forces in Kashmir on July 8 in an encounter which many believe was avoidable.
“The supreme sacrifice rendered by Kashmiri freedom fighter Burhan Wani highlighted the struggle of the Kashmiris and brought it to a decisive juncture,” Sharif said.
He called upon the international community for resolving the Kashmir dispute. “Kashmir is smouldering like a volcano and needs urgent attention,” Sharif said.
He recalled his speech at the United Nations last month and said he had demanded a number of steps for the improvement of situation in the Indian-held Kashmir that included withdrawal of India’s occupational forces from Kashmir and creation of a conducive environment for the holding of plebiscite.
Sharif informed about a number of measures taken by his government that included sending delegations of Pakistani parliamentarians to important world capitals to apprise them of the serious situation in Kashmir.
He said Pakistan fully launched a diplomatic offensive that included his letters to the five permanent members of UN Security Council and other human right organizations to highlight the critical situation.
He said the Pakistani diplomats were especially tasked to apprise their host countries about the gross human rights violations in the “Indian Occupied Kashmir,” which is a disputed territory between India and Pakistan.
Sharif said today the entire world is facing the heat of the situation along the Line of Control (LoC) and it was time that effective measures were taken by the global community to pressurise India to let the Kashmiris exercise their right to self determination.
He said Pakistan would continue to extend its political, moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiris’ demand for right to self determination, adding that India is making a mockery of international norms by declaring Kashmir as its integral part.
“We have always desired resolution of the issue through talks. However, India has never responded positively,” Sharif said.
