Kashmir not bilateral but international issue: Sartaj

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has said that there will be no talks with India by neglecting the Kashmir issue, saying that Kashmir issue is not a bilateral but international issue.

Sartaj Aziz was expressing these while briefing the Kashmiri journalists’ forum at the Foreign Office in Islamabad on Monday. The Kashmiris struggle for freedom has changed India’s stance that has been trying to declare the endeavours a terrorist movement, Sartaj Aziz said, adding majority of the population in Indian Held Kashmir does not want to side with India. India holds occupied Kashmir on gunpoint, he said.

He said that the Kashmir issue is essential for them and cannot be overlooked which is why the Pakistani government will not hold talks with India without Kashmir being part of the deliberations. Pakistan will continue to provide political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiris’ struggle, Sartaj Aziz said.

While talking about Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin who has recently been declared a global terrorist by the United States, Sartaj Aziz said the decision has not been made by the United Nations. He added it was not necessary for Pakistan to agree with the US government’s decision.

Sartaj Aziz said that entire Pakistani nation stands with Kashmiri brothers, saying that sacrifices of the Kashmiris will not be allowed to go in vain at any cost and they will soon see the dawn of freedom. Foreign office spokesman Nafees Zakaria and Director General South Asia Muhammad Faisal also accompanied Sartaj Aziz on the occasion.

Sartaj Aziz said that international community understands the situation of Kashmir, saying that the international media is highlighting the situation. He said that India claims of being a big democratic country and calling Kashmir as its integral part, saying that India should get the plebiscite conducted in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir under the supervision of United Nations (UN) if it is righteous in its claim of being democratic.

Sartaj Aziz said that India starts violations of ceasefire agreement on Line of Control (LoC) to divert the attention from the Kashmir dispute whenever the movement of Kashmiri gains momentum towards its peak. He said that India has committed violations of ceasefire agreement on LoC for more than 400 times during a year. He said that there are eight issues in talks with India and Kashmir issue is at the top of the issues.

He said that 0.7 million Indian army troops are busy in massacre of Kashmiris while there is ban on social media for suppressing the voice of Kashmiris and there is ban even on internet. He said that Kashmir issue is not bilateral issue but the international issue and it makes no difference if India does not admit it as an international issue.

He said that resolutions of United Nations prove that Kashmir issue is not bilateral issue but the international issue, saying that India is occupying Kashmir through the force of 0.7 million Indian army.