'India missed opportunity of normalising relations by boycotting SAARC conference'

ISLAMABAD: The spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday that Pakistan does not expect improvement in relations with India as long as it does not change its negative attitude and stop persecution of Kashmiri people. 

In an interview with Radio Pakistan, Nafees Zakaria lamented that India missed opportunities to normalise relations with Pakistan due to its negative attitude manifested by sabotaging the SAARC conference as well as the recently held BRICS and Heart of Asia summits.

The spokesperson said the ongoing movement in Indian-occupied Kashmir cannot be linked with terrorism is the just struggle of local people for their right to self-determination.

“No other country gives weighage to Indian argument which links the movement with terrorism,” he said.

Responding to a question, he said that Pakistan is effectively highlighting the Kashmir dispute at international forums, and will continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support to the innocent people of Kashmir.

He further said it is because of our forceful diplomacy that the United Nations, the OIC and several international human rights organisations have voiced concerns over the prevailing gross human rights violations in occupied Kashmir.

He said the Geneva-based Human Rights commission and the OIC have demanded an independent inquiry into the atrocities. He expressed confidence that India will be left with no option but to allow an inquiry into occupied Kashmir’s situation.

Nafees Zakariya noted that Kashmir is an internationally recognised dispute and there are several UNSC resolutions which accept the right of self-determination of the Kashmiri people, and the resolution of the dispute is imperative for peace and stability in the region.

He disclosed that several important countries have offered mediation for the resolution of the dispute but the Indian side is sticking to its intransigence which will not augur well either for India or regional peace and stability.

The spokesperson said that India is trying to cover up its persecution campaign in occupied Kashmir by heating up the situation at the line of control.