‘Pakistan means nothing sans Kashmir’

Kh Asif says India to pick three bodies if Pakistan picks one;
Sartaj says no to Indian hegemony; winds up NA debate on LoC situation

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif has said that Pakistan means nothing without Kashmir.He warned India that Pakistan would kill three Indian soldiers in return of one Pakistani who embraced martyrdom.

He said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was stirring extremist sentiments among its people to garner votes.He expressed these views while speaking in the National Assembly on Friday. “Narendra Modi is endorsing his ideas from the mass massacre in Gujarat,” he said.

He said that Pakistan did not initiate attacks at the Line of Control, but gave befitting replies to Indian aggression at the border. “If we pick one body, they will pick three,” he said.He said if India imposed war on Pakistan, the nation would fight valiantly. “India has been spreading terrorism in Pakistan for a long time,” he said adding that Pakistan had solid evidence to give to the international community.

He said the success Pakistan made in combating terrorism on its soil became a weakness for India. Meanwhile, Adviser to PM on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said that Pakistan would not accept any Indian aggression or hegemony in the region under any circumstances saying that Pakistan Army was capable of giving befitting response to the Indian aggression.

"We are fully capable to defend our borders and we will not accept any Indian influence or hegemony under any circumstances," Sartaj said while winding up debate on situation at Line of Control (LoC) in the National Assembly.

He said India was heating up the situation at the Line of Control to divert attention from its atrocities in Held Kashmir, saying the India attack on passenger bus and ambulance was the most regrettable incident and contrary to all norms and principles.

He told the house that Pakistan had written letters to the foreign ministers of P-5 countries to apprise them about the Indian aggression against civilians. "We have never targeted civilians but the Indian side was deliberately targeting them to escalate the situation," he said.

He said Pakistan would continue to support the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination, which is totally indigenous in nature and led by the Kashmiri youth. At the same time, the adviser said that Pakistan would continue to pursue the policy of peaceful neighbourhood and was ready for dialogue with India on the condition that Kashmir dispute must be included in it.

Earlier, taking part in debate on ceasefire violations by India, the opposition legislators said that government should not promote ties with India rather Pakistan should hold talks with India on equal level.

The JUI-F parliamentarian Naeema Kishwar Khan said India had started unannounced war at LoC which should be condemned by the whole world.

Shaikh Salahuddin of MQM stressed the need for revisiting the foreign policy in the wake of worsening situation at LoC due to Indian belligerence. He suggested that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should take up the matter with Indian prime minister to defuse the situation.

Ghaus Bakhsh Mahar of PML-Functional said India failed to suppress the Kashmiri's struggle by force and resorted to unprovoked firing at the LoC to divert attention. He said Pakistan should call the UN Security Council meeting on ceasefire violations by India.

Sahibzada Tariqullah of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) appreciated General Raheel Sharif's statement that India would be taught a lesson if it resorted to any aggression against Pakistan. He said Parliament should be taken into confidence on the situation.

Qaisar Ahmad Shaikh of PML-N lauded PM's move to send his envoys to different countries to highlight atrocities and human rights violations by Indian forces in occupied Kashmir and suggested that Kashmir desks should be established in Pakistan embassies abroad to highlight the Kashmir issue.

Shahida Rehmani of PML-N strongly condemned unprovoked firing and shelling by Indian forces killing Pakistani soldiers and civilians along LoC. She said India wanted to impose war on Pakistan.

Tahira Aurangzeb also of PML-N said there should be no political point scoring on the issue. There should be only one message from the Parliament that India should immediately stop atrocities and barbarism in occupied Kashmir.

Ghazi Gulab Jamal from Fata said that impression about India is increasing that it is an oppressor state. "To divert attention from this impression, India resorted to unprovoked firing at LoC to divert attention of international community," he said.

Mussarat Ahmadzeb said Kashmir is a jugular vein of Pakistan. She said the whole nation is united on Kashmir issue.

Riazul Haq said the PM had forcefully highlighted Kashmir dispute at the UN. He saluted Kashmiris for continuing their freedom struggle sustaining the barbarity and atrocities of Indian forces. He said diplomatic efforts should be accelerated to expose India for its crimes against humanity.

Ayaz Soomro of Pakistan People’s Party stressed tit-for-tat response to Indian aggression at LoC.

Malik Ibrar Ahmad of PML-N said international community should take notice of atrocities being committed by Indian forces in occupied Kashmir.

Muhammad Kamal said hundreds of Kashmiris have been martyred in occupied Kashmir during the last six months. Dr Shazra Mansab Ali said India resorted to escalation at the LoC to hide its barbarism in occupied Kashmir.