Published 15:42 IST, August 17th 2019
Hammered at UN, Pakistan now calls Kashmir a 'nuclear flashpoint', recalls 'Nehru's India'
Pakistan has now called Kashmir issue as a nuclear flashpoint between two nations
In yet another tactic to attract the attention of international forum to Kashmir even after being rejected at the UN and by United States President Donald Trump, Pakistan has now called it as a nuclear flashpoint between two nations. In a press conference on August 17, Shah Mehmood Quereshi and Asif Ghafoor questioned the Modi government and its decision to abrogate Article 370. This comes despite the international forum agreeing that it is India's internal matter. The DGISPR of Pakistan has also said that it is not the "Nehru's India".
Earlier on August 13, Mushahid Hussain, a Pakistani politician, journalist and geo-strategist while appearing in a debate on Pakistani news channel Geo TV said that Mamata Banerjee and Congress party are symphathisers of Pakistan. When asked how will Kashmir get freedom, Hussain said that that people like writer Arundhati Roy, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and political parties like the Congress, the left parties are "sympathisers" of Pakistan.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's big statement on India's nuclear policy:
In a big statement from the Defence Minister on the nuclear policy of India on Friday August 16, said that no first use policy will depend on the circumstances and the future. The Defence Minister Rajnath Singh while speaking to news agency at Pokhran where he went to pay his tribute to late former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his first death anniversary said : "This is the truth that India's stand as much as Nuclear policy is concerned has remained 'no first policy' but what will happen in future will depend on the circumstances in the future." Atal Bihari Vajpayee conducted Nuclear Test in May 1998 in Pokhran when he was the Prime Minister.
Syed Akbaruddin slams Pakistan after UN closed-door meeting
However, responding to the questions of the Pakistani reporters, he gave a stern warning to the neighbouring country in order to initiate dialogue, calling for action against terror activities. "Using terror to try and push your goals is not the way a normal state behave in - Stop terror to start talks," he said in a stringent warning to Pak.
During the briefing, he was questioned by another Pakistan journalist asking "when will India begin a dialogue with Pakistan?". Responding to the question, in a spontaneous gesture, Syed Akbaruddin immediately went to the Pak reporter and shook his hand and another Pak reporter's hand.
Syed Akbaruddin, at his best, showed his witty side during the press briefing and single-handedly shut down Pakistan at the UN, speaking for a billion. At the beginning of the Q&A session, while journalists were clamouring to ask questions, he assured saying: "Relax, I will answer five questions - which is five times more than my last two predecessors, who came here."
Further, when asked about the way forward as most global powers have stated that Jammu-Kashmir is a bilateral issue he said: "It is now for Pakistan to stop terror and start talks." When asked about the restrictions on the ground put in place in Jammu-Kashmir prior to the abrogation of article 370, he said: "Prevention is better than cure. Our measures were to stop terrorists from bleeding our people. There are no fatalities in the last 10 days."
Ceasefire violation by Pakistan
An Army soldier was martyred on Saturday as Pakistan violated ceasefire by resorting to mortar shelling and small arms firing on forward posts and villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district, a defence spokesman said. Pakistan had violated ceasefire in Nowshera Sector of Rajouri at 6:30 am on Saturday The latest ceasefire violation comes two days after Pakistan claimed that its four soldiers were killed in firing by Indian troops on their posts along the LoC.
Imran Khan 'welcomes' UN decision
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan 'welcomed' the UNSC meeting held in New York on Saturday. In a tweet, the Pakistani Prime Minister said that he "welcomed" the UNSC meeting to discuss the "serious situation" in Jammu and Kashmir, further adding that it was the first time in half a decade that this issue was taken up.
Updated 16:57 IST, August 17th 2019