New York, Sep 22: Strongly reacting to Pakistan Prime Minister's remarks at the UN, India today described them as non-factual and full of "threat bluster" and said glorification of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani by him at the world forum is an act of "self-incrimination" by Pakistan.
"We just heard a speech full of threat bluster and rising immaturity and complete disregard of facts," Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar said at a press conference at the India's permanent mission here after Sharif's address to the UN General Assembly.
He also criticised Sharif for glorifying Wani, who was killed in an encounter with security forces on July 8, and said India "will not succumb to blackmail tactics of the Pakistan Government that seems eager to use terrorism as policy".
"We heard the glorification of a terrorist. Wani is declared commander of Hizbul, widely acknowledged as a terror group. It is shocking that a leader of a nation can glorify a self-advertised terrorist at such a forum. This is self incrimination by Pakistan PM," Akbar said.
Rejecting Sharif's offer to India to enter into a serious and sustained dialogue for the peaceful resolution of all outstanding disputes, the minister said, "Talks and guns don't go together".
"Pakistan at this moment seems to be run by a war machine rather than a government. Pakistan wants dialogue while holding a terrorist gun in its hand," he said.
He also rejected Sharif's allegations against India with regard to the current unrest in Kashmir and said, "Kashmir occupation is by Pakistan occupation army. The world also knows that Pakistan has been indulged in ethnic cleansing of its own people," he said.
Vikas Swarup slams Wani's reference in Sharif's UN speech
"Pak PM Sharif at #UNGA glorifies Hizbul terrorist Burhan Wani in UN's highest forum. Shows continued Pak attachment to terrorism," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.
During his address to the UN General Assembly session today, Sharif raked up Kashmir issue and described Wani as a "young leader".
Pakistan Prime Minister said Wani, who was killed in an encounter with security forces on July 8, has "emerged as the symbol of the latest Kashmiri Intifada, a popular and peaceful freedom movement".
Sharif also claimed that he had gone the extra mile to offer "a dialogue to address all outstanding issues but India has posed unacceptable preconditions to engage in a dialogue."
Responding to Sharif's allegations, Swarup said India's only condition for talks is an end to terrorism. "PM Sharif at #UNGA says India poses unacceptable conditions to dialogue. India's only condition is an end to terrorism. This not acceptable," Swarup said.
Nawaz Sharif seeks probe into Kashmir ‘killings’
United Nations, Sep 22: Raking up Kashmir at the U.N., Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday glorified slain Hizbul commander Burhan Wani as a “young leader” even as he expressed readiness for a “serious and sustained dialogue” with India for peaceful resolution of all outstanding disputes, especially Jammu and Kashmir.
Mr. Sharif devoted much of his 20-minute speech at the U.N. General Assembly session to Kashmir and the current situation in the Valley and said Pakistan “fully supports the demand of the Kashmiri people for self-determination.”
He demanded an “independent inquiry into the extra-judicial killings” and a U.N. fact-finding mission to Kashmir “so that those guilty of these atrocities are punished.”
Insisting that peace and normalisation between Pakistan and India cannot be achieved without a resolution of the Kashmir dispute, Mr. Sharif said “Indian brutalities [in Kashmir] are well documented” and that Pakistan would share with the Secretary General evidence of “violations of human rights” in J&K.
Mr. Sharif said the United Nations must honour its own commitments on Kashmir.
Addressing the General Assembly, Mr. Sharif said: “The Security Council has called for the exercise of the right to self-determination by the people of Jammu and Kashmir through a free and fair plebiscite held under UN auspices. The people of Kashmir have waited 70 years for implementation of this promise,” he said.
Mr. Sharif, who spoke amid heightening tensions between India and Pakistan, insisted that his country wants peace with the neighbour as “confrontation should not be our destiny in South Asia.”
The Pakistan Prime Minister claimed that he had “gone the extra mile to achieve this, repeatedly offering a dialogue to address all outstanding issues but India has imposed unacceptable preconditions to engage in a dialogue.
“Let us be clear: talks are no favour to Pakistan. Talks are in the interest of both countries. They are essential to resolve our differences, especially the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, and to avert the danger of any escalation.”
While insisting that peace and normalisation between Pakistan and India cannot be achieved without a resolution of the Kashmir dispute, he said, “This is an objective evaluation, not a partisan position.”
“Today, from this rostrum, I would also like to reiterate our offer to India to enter into a serious and sustained dialogue for the peaceful resolution of all outstanding disputes, especially Jammu and Kashmir,” Mr. Sharif said.
‘Open to discussions’
He also said that Pakistan was “open to discussing all measures of restraint and responsibility with India, in any forum or format and without any conditions.”
Pakistan is “ready for talks to agree on a bilateral nuclear test ban treaty,” he added.
Claiming that Pakistan “neither wants, nor is engaged in an arms race with India”, Mr. Sharif said, “We have consistently urged the conclusion of bilateral arms control and disarmament measures between Pakistan and India to prevent conflict and avoid wasteful military expenditures.”
India hits back
India hit back at Mr. Sharif's speech at the UNGA saying “India's only condition is an end to terrorism. This not acceptable (to Pakistan)?"
“PM Sharif at #UNGA says India poses unacceptable conditions to dialogue. India's only condition is an end to terrorism. This not acceptable?" MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.
“Pak PM Sharif at #UNGA glorifies Hizbul terrorist Burhan Wani in UN's highest forum. Shows continued Pak attachment to terrorism."
“Pak PM Sharif at #UNGA in complete denial of Uri terror attack. 19 infiltration attempts stopped at LoC this year. Indigenous??!!" Mr. Swarup said in another tweet.
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