Agra, October 6
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today ruled out releasing the video footage of the army’s surgical strikes across the LoC and questioned the “loyalty” of those who “doubt” the forces.Describing the cross-LoC operation as “100 per cent perfect surgical strike”, he said the borders of the country are secure under the Narendra Modi government.Parrikar’s remarks at a function organised by the BJP in Agra to celebrate the strikes came a day after PM Narendra Modi had cautioned against hysteria over the army action at a Cabinet meeting. Parrikar warned that one has to remain vigilant against “certain elements who do not owe their loyalty to the country completely”.“No one had doubted bravery of our forces ever, but some people are doing otherwise,” he said. — PTI
US a declining power: Pak Kashmir envoys
Washington: Pakistan would move towards China and Russia if its views on Kashmir and India are not considered by the US, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s envoys have warned and termed America a “declining” world power. “(The) US is no longer a world power. It is a declining power. Forget about it,” a Special Kashmir Envoy of Sharif, Mushahid Hussain Syed, was quoted as saying yesterday after the conclusion of an interaction at the Atlantic Council, one of the top American think-tanks. Syed and Shazra Mansab, another Kashmir envoy, are in also in the US as part of strategy to popularise Kashmir issue. pti
Thief in Gilgit can’t be friend in J&K: Activist
Washington, October 6
Kashmir is a “money-making machine” for the Pakistani army which wants to maintain status quo in the Valley, a prominent activist from Gilgit-Baltistan has said and quipped that “a thief” in Gilgit cannot be a friend in Jammu and Kashmir.“Pakistan has proxies in Kashmir with explosives and other things,” Senge Sering, director of the Gilgit-Baltistan National Congress, said.“Every time the money dries up, you show up with blackmail, Russia talk, China talk. I request the US to get out of this vicious cycle. Pakistan is not good for any country and it has not done good for the United States,” he said.“You (Pakistan) occupy one-third of Kashmir. An occupier cannot be a friend of Kashmir on the other side. You have been exploiting resources in Gilgit- Baltistan without paying royalty or compensation. I call you a thief in Gilgit-Baltistan. A thief in Gilgit-Baltistan cannot be a fried in Jammu and Kashmir,” he alleged.Pakistan, which calls for implementation of the UN Security Council resolution of a plebiscite, is not fulfilling its first perquisite, which is that Pakistan should vacate the area and hand it over to India, he said.“The double talk that you have been doing in Afghanistan, Kashmir and the US needs to be exposed,” Sering alleged.Such remarks from Sering and several other Pakistani expats came during an interaction of two Special Envoy of Prime Minister on Kashmir — Mushahid Hussain Syed and Shazra Mansab — at an event hosted by the Atlantic Council, a top American think-tank.Ahmar Musti Khan, who said he is a US citizen who migrated from “Pakistan-occupied Balochistan”, said Kashmir “pales” in comparison to what the Pakistan military and security forces are doing against its own people in Balochistan.“Your army and ISI is the problem. Please acknowledge that,” Khan said. He alleged that 6,000 Baloch people have been killed and dumped. PTI
India criticises UNSC for not banning Azhar
New Delhi: India on Thursday hit out at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for being unable to take a decision to ban Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar after China extended its technical hold on the issue for three more months. For India, the frustration stems from the fact that China has once again managed to save Pakistan by ensuring that the UN ban on Azhar is deferred despite the fact that the UN has already declared the JeM a terrorist organisation. tns