Apprehending that the unrest in Kashmir may turn a diplomatic headache in coming days, India has alerted its missions and is in touch with important interlocutors world over to explain the situation and highlight that unrest was not indigenous, but encouraged by Pakistan and terrorist groups.
Armed with confessions of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Bahadur Ali, India will tell the world that the LeT is sending its cadre in connivance with Pakistani security forces, to fuel large-scale agitation in Kashmir. "We are in touch with important interlocutors bilaterally as well as multilaterally to put across the correct picture," said official spokesperson of external affairs ministry Vikas Swarup.
Last time, following the May 1998 nuclear tests by both India and Pakistan, Kashmir issue had reverberated in world capitals. Alarmed at the rising tensions between nuclear neighbours, the UN Secretary General Kofi Anann had offered third-party mediation. But the deft handling of then government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, his travel to Lahore and then Kargil crises led the issue return to bilateral closet once again.
Responding to question regarding letters written by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Prince Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, urging their intervention in Kashmir, Swarup said these letters will not whitewash cross-border terrorism. He said Pakistan has no locus standi in addressing any aspect of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which is an internal matter of India, except to put an end to all cross-border terrorism, infiltration and support and instigation to terrorism and violence against India.
The spokesperson said the capture of Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Bahadur Ali is yet another proof of Pakistan's continued involvement in cross-border terrorism and infiltration into India, despite several assurances that it will not allow its territory to be used for terrorism against any other country. He said the interrogation of Bahadur Ali and his confession has clearly revealed the details of the kind of training that is provided to such young men, the camps in which they are kept, the weapons that they are provided and most importantly the indoctrination that they undergo prior to infiltration into India. "Pakistan now stands completely exposed. We have already taken up the matter bilaterally with Pakistan, including our offer to provide consular access to this Pakistani terrorist," he said.
Countering arguments that current unrest in Kashmir following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was purely indigenous, sources here point out that members of the Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD), led by Hafiz Saeed (also head of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and prime perpetrator of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack) has been leading rallies and seeking support for Kashmir in Pakistan. They said, Saeed, whose 26/11 Mumbai attack was not only aimed at Indians, but also at foreigners, particularly Americans and Jews. He is also on the United States' most wanted list with a USD 10 million bounty on his head. They said connivance was so glaring that despite being on the Pakistan government's 'terror watch list', yet the Saeed's organisation freely holds protests and rallies in major cities of Pakistan. About Kashmir protests, they said that recently Abu Dujana, the most wanted LeT terrorist, was also reported to have participated in the gathering, wearing a mask and surrounded by many people.
Also while linking rise in infiltration figures with current unrest, officials here say in 2015, there were 117 attempts by Pakistani terrorists to cross the Line of Control (LoC) into Kashmir Valley of which 33 were successful. But, in 2016, till July itself, there have been 80 such attempts, of which 54 have been successful.
Glorification of terrorist is unacceptable: Sushma
In a statement in the Rajya Sabha, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also told Pakistan that glorification of terrorist is unacceptable and it should immediately stop supporting cross-border terrorism and infiltration. She said the Indian government has also reached out to various countries to counter the Pakistani propaganda, stressing that the security forces exercised extraordinary restraint as evident in over 3780 security personnel wounded in mob attacks during the violent protests. "The government has also put across forcefully that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are Indian citizens, and that government is fully conscious of its responsibilities towards them," she added.
DNA India News
Armed with confessions of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Bahadur Ali, India will tell the world that the LeT is sending its cadre in connivance with Pakistani security forces, to fuel large-scale agitation in Kashmir. "We are in touch with important interlocutors bilaterally as well as multilaterally to put across the correct picture," said official spokesperson of external affairs ministry Vikas Swarup.
Last time, following the May 1998 nuclear tests by both India and Pakistan, Kashmir issue had reverberated in world capitals. Alarmed at the rising tensions between nuclear neighbours, the UN Secretary General Kofi Anann had offered third-party mediation. But the deft handling of then government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, his travel to Lahore and then Kargil crises led the issue return to bilateral closet once again.
Responding to question regarding letters written by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Prince Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, urging their intervention in Kashmir, Swarup said these letters will not whitewash cross-border terrorism. He said Pakistan has no locus standi in addressing any aspect of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which is an internal matter of India, except to put an end to all cross-border terrorism, infiltration and support and instigation to terrorism and violence against India.
The spokesperson said the capture of Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Bahadur Ali is yet another proof of Pakistan's continued involvement in cross-border terrorism and infiltration into India, despite several assurances that it will not allow its territory to be used for terrorism against any other country. He said the interrogation of Bahadur Ali and his confession has clearly revealed the details of the kind of training that is provided to such young men, the camps in which they are kept, the weapons that they are provided and most importantly the indoctrination that they undergo prior to infiltration into India. "Pakistan now stands completely exposed. We have already taken up the matter bilaterally with Pakistan, including our offer to provide consular access to this Pakistani terrorist," he said.
Countering arguments that current unrest in Kashmir following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was purely indigenous, sources here point out that members of the Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD), led by Hafiz Saeed (also head of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and prime perpetrator of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack) has been leading rallies and seeking support for Kashmir in Pakistan. They said, Saeed, whose 26/11 Mumbai attack was not only aimed at Indians, but also at foreigners, particularly Americans and Jews. He is also on the United States' most wanted list with a USD 10 million bounty on his head. They said connivance was so glaring that despite being on the Pakistan government's 'terror watch list', yet the Saeed's organisation freely holds protests and rallies in major cities of Pakistan. About Kashmir protests, they said that recently Abu Dujana, the most wanted LeT terrorist, was also reported to have participated in the gathering, wearing a mask and surrounded by many people.
Also while linking rise in infiltration figures with current unrest, officials here say in 2015, there were 117 attempts by Pakistani terrorists to cross the Line of Control (LoC) into Kashmir Valley of which 33 were successful. But, in 2016, till July itself, there have been 80 such attempts, of which 54 have been successful.
Glorification of terrorist is unacceptable: Sushma
In a statement in the Rajya Sabha, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also told Pakistan that glorification of terrorist is unacceptable and it should immediately stop supporting cross-border terrorism and infiltration. She said the Indian government has also reached out to various countries to counter the Pakistani propaganda, stressing that the security forces exercised extraordinary restraint as evident in over 3780 security personnel wounded in mob attacks during the violent protests. "The government has also put across forcefully that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are Indian citizens, and that government is fully conscious of its responsibilities towards them," she added.
DNA India News
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