Illegal annexation of Occupied Kashmir is Modi's biggest mistake: PM Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday termed the Indian government’s illegal annexation of Occupied Kashmir is Indian premier Narendra Modi’s biggest mistake, a historical blunder, which will finally lead to freedom of Kashmir.

Addressing the nation to take the people of the country into confidence over his government’s moves to counter the Indian move, the premier said that Modi did this “historical blunder” thinking he can suppress the freedom movement by launching a crackdown on Kashmiri people.

“Their (Indian government’s) plan was to launch a crackdown on civilians in Occupied Kashmir. We had complete intelligence that they were planning to do a false flag attack and blame it on freedom fighters in Azad Kashmir and then launch a crackdown on people of the valley in the garb of counter-terrorism,” said the premier.

The PM maintained that it is every Pakistani’s responsibility to apprise the world about the Indian atrocities in Kashmir while the government is highlighting the issue at every forum.

“Our (diplomatic) success was to internationalise the issue as we rushed into action and had UN Security Council discuss the matter,” said Imran Khan.

The premier- while terming the Indian move, against India’s own constitution, United Nations (UN) resolutions and India’s first PM Nehru’s pledge-  said that the Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government’s move will not benefit India but the oppressed people of Kashmir in their freedom struggle.

BJP following RSS ideology

The PM told the nation that his government tried to approach India for talks before this move but the Indian side’s refusal was the factor talks couldn’t move forward.

“We thought it was because BJP was running an election campaign and wanted anti-Pakistan rhetoric for its success so we backed off, then Pulwama attack happened in which a Kashmiri youth attacked Indian forces but they blamed it on Pakistan without taking into account what led a Kashmiri youngster opted to become a suicide bomber,” said the PM.

Imran Khan maintained that his government soon realized the BJP government’s aims as they tried to diplomatically isolate Pakistan and even lobbied for Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to blacklist Pakistan and failed.

“So we decided that there can be no talks with this government, which follows the RSS (Hindu extremist organisation) ideology,” the PM said.

He was of the view that this RSS ideology, which was behind Gandhi’s killing and the current wave of mob lynchings in India, is the reason now that Muslims and other minorities are living as second class citizens in India.

‘Come hell or high water’

The PM also called upon the UN and the powerful countries of the world to look into the matter as it is a nuclear flashpoint.

“We will do what we can to help the people of Kashmir, come hell or high water but if Indian government’s stubbornness leads towards the war, both countries have nuclear weapons and the whole world will suffer if such a situation arises,” said the premier while terming the Indian move a decisive moment in Pakistan’s Kashmir policy.

He concluded his speech by thanking Pakistani media for highlighting the issue and Indian atrocities in the valley.

The illegal annexation of Kashmir

The Indian government, through a presidential decree issued on August 5 revoked Article 370 of India’s constitution that guaranteed special rights to Occupied Kashmir, including the right to its own constitution and autonomy to make laws on all matters except defence, communications and foreign affairs.

In the lead-up to the move, India sent thousands of additional troops to the occupied valley, imposed a crippling curfew, shut down telecommunications and internet, and arrested political leaders.

On Saturday, a delegation of India’s main opposition politicians, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, has been sent back to the capital, New Delhi, after it reached Srinagar. Gandhi and others had flown into the occupied region to observe the situation on the ground.