Simran Sodhi
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 15
India today reacted strongly to Pakistan’s decision to observe July 19 as ‘Black Day’ to express solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, calling it provocative and interference in its internal affairs.Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, addressing a Cabinet meeting in Lahore, described the Kashmiri movement as a “movement of freedom” and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to continue giving moral, political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiris in their “just struggle for the right to self-determination”, Radio Pakistan said.The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in a hard-hitting statement, said: “India completely and unequivocally rejects in entirety the decisions adopted by the Cabinet of Pakistan. We are dismayed at the continued attempts by Pakistan to interfere in our internal matters.” The killing of Hizbul militant Burhan Wani has brought back the focus on the Kashmir imbroglio. While India maintains it is a bilateral issue, Pakistan is making every effort to ‘internationalise’ the Wani killing, which it has termed as ‘extra-judicial’. The Pakistan Cabinet has decided to convene a joint session of parliament to discuss the situation in J&K. This is certain to provoke India further. The MEA today termed Pakistan’s actions as ‘self-serving’. “The attempts in Pakistan by various players to ingratiate themselves to the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the run-up to the so-called elections in territories under Pakistan’s illegal occupation will not succeed,” the MEA said. Panel to find a way forward in ValleySrinagar: The Centre has set up a panel headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh to look into the unrest in Kashmir and find a way out. Other members are Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, NSA Ajit Doval, Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrish, IB Director Dineshwar Sharma, the chief of the Research and Analysis Wing and the Defence Secretary. Rajnath Singh, meanwhile, held a meeting in New Delhi to review security in the wake of the Kashmir turmoil and terror attack in France. He was told that the Valley was slowly returning to normalcy. — Azhar Qadri
India hits back as Pak says will mark black day on J&K deaths
ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI: Pakistan said on Friday it will observe July 19 as a “black day” to protest against killings in Jammu and Kashmir, drawing an angry reaction from India which again accused Islamabad of interfering in New Delhi’s internal affairs and backing terrorism.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif proposed the observance of the “black day” while chairing a meeting of his cabinet in Lahore that discussed the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which has been roiled by protests over the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani last week.
Sharif and Pakistan’s foreign ministry have angered India by referring to Wani, a commander of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen, as a “Kashmiri leader” and describing his death as an “extrajudicial killing”. At least 37 people have died in protests following Wani’s killing.
India again dismissed Pakistan’s criticism of its handling of the situation in Kashmir, saying it was “dismayed” at Islamabad’s continued attempts “to interfere in our internal matters” where external parties have no role.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said: “India completely and unequivocally rejects in entirety the decisions adopted by the cabinet of Pakistan on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir…” “Continued glorification of terrorists belonging to proscribed terrorist organisations makes it amply clear where Pakistan’s sympathies continue to lie,” he said
Swarup asked Pakistan to “respond constructively” to India’s initiatives for peace and normalising bilateral ties.
Despite the ire expressed by India in the past few days, Sharif again described Wani as a “martyr of (the) independence movement” on Friday. He also characterised the “movement of Kashmiris as a movement of freedom”. During the cabinet meeting, Sharif trotted out Pakistan’s stated position of extending “moral, political and diplomatic support” to Kashmiris for their right to self-determination. The cabinet also decided to convene a joint session of parliament on the Kashmir situation Calling on the UN to fulfill its “incomplete agenda” on Kashmir, Sharif said, “I and entire Pakistan nation steadfastly stand by Kashmiris against Indian oppression.” Describing the “freedom movement” as terrorism amounted to sheer dishonesty by India, he said.
Sharif ’s cabinet asked India to hold dialogue with Pakistan on the Kashmir issue and to include Kashmiri leaders in the process. He directed government departments to highlight alleged “atrocities” in Jammu and Kashmir at international forums. The cabinet also offered prayers for what it described as the “martyrs of Kashmir”.
Rebutting Pakistan, Swarup said Islamabad’s “self serving actions” to derive political mileage out of recent developments in Jammu and Kashmir had followed “planned infiltration and terrorism aimed at India”.
He hinted attempts by various players in Pakistan to ingratiate themselves with the Kashmiri people were aimed at forthcoming polls in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. “We hope that Pakistan will desist from further interfering in India’s internal affairs and destabilising the situation in South Asia through support to terrorism and other subversive acts,” he added.