PM Imran says Ghotki incident an attempt to sabotage his UNGA address

Islamabad: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said the Ghotki incident was a deliberate attempt to sabotage his address to the United Nations General Assembly, referring to an attack on a Hindu temple in Sindh.

A frenzied mob on Sunday  vandalised a Hindu temple and a school owned by a Hindu resident in Ghotki district following the rumour that a Hindu teacher had committed blasphemy.

Addressing a press conference, the prime minister said he condemns the attack on a Mandir in Ghotki which came at a time when he was due to address the world body.

"Ghotki incident is a conspiracy to sabotage my address to the UNGA," said the prime minister who is due to leave for Saudi Arabia on Thursday.

After concluding his visit to the kingdom, the prime minister would leave for the United States where he said his meeting with President Donald Trump is scheduled to take place on Monday.

"If anybody from here (Pakistan) is involved (in the attack), he is an enemy of Pakistan and Kashmir," said Khan.

The prime minister said Pakistan's constitution has declared the members of minorities as equal citizens of the country.

He ruled out any possibility of talks with India until New Delhi withdraws its decision to revoke Article 370 and lifts the curfew in Occupied Kashmir. 

"It is my promise to the nation that I would present Kashmir's case in the General Assembly the way no one has ever done before," the premier said.

Speaking about the local politics, Imran Khan said the opposition was trying to blackmail the government in order to get an NRO.

"I won't give the NRO, come what may," said he.