Govt fails to counter Indian designs in held Kashmir: Siraj

LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Senator Sirajul Haq has said that India revoked Article 370 of its constitution to annex Muslim-majority disputed state of Kashmir in a pre-planned move, but the Pakistani government failed to remain alert and counter Indian nefarious designs.

“If the world community did not stop New Delhi from carrying out the offensive move against the Kashmir state, entire region will be under serious threat of war, which will spread to the whole world,” he said while addressing a press conference at Mansoora on Monday. He said Indian move was a declaration of war and Pakistani institutions must be fully prepared for countering Indian nefarious designs.

Sirajul Haq demanded that Islamabad must give a clear message to Delhi that it would go to every extent to maintain internationally acknowledged status of Kashmir as a disputed territory, and for that Islamabad must call urgent meetings of the OIC and the UNSC to press for plebiscite in Kashmir under the UN resolutions. The government should also make efforts for peaceful settlement in Afghanistan conditional with plebiscite in Kashmir and make it clear to Washington that it was time for it to do more, he added. Siraj warned that if Trump’s offer of mediation on Kashmir was meant to allow Delhi to annex the disputed state, then it would be never accepted by the Kashmiris and the whole world. He said it should be made clear to Trump that his mediation could only be accepted when its aim would be holding plebiscite to give right of self-determination to Kashmiris as guaranteed under the UN resolutions.

Meanwhile, JI central Punjab ameer Javed Kasuri announced holding demonstrations and rallies on Tuesday (today) all over the province to express solidarity with the oppressed Kashmiri brethren and to assure them that Pakistanis consider Kashmir as their jugular vein as declared by the Father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.