Pakistan needles India again, says Kashmir is NOT an internal matter

Pakistan has said that the Kashmir dispute has international ramifications and rejected India's assertion that the ongoing strife there is an internal matter where Islamabad has no role to play and should have no role to play.

"The dispute of Kashmir has international recognition. It is not an internal matter of India. Such an assertion is a violation of UN Security Council's Resolutions," The Express Tribune quoted Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria as saying.

He said the current situation on the Indian side of Kashmir is a manifestation of what Kashmiris wanted, their right to self-determination.

Reportedly, Pakistan has decided to be aggressive diplomatically on the Kashmir issue.

A senior Foreign Office official said Islamabad has directed all diplomatic missions, particularly those in key world capitals, to brief the host governments about the current situation in Kashmir.

Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry had on Monday called in Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale and conveyed Islamabad's "serious concerns over the recent killings" of Burhan Wani who they termed a "Kashmiri leader".

According to a statement by Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chaudhry observed that the use of excessive force against innocent civilians protesting peacefully over extrajudicial killings, is 'deplorable and a blatant violation' of the Right to Life, Right to Freedom of Expression and Opinion, Right to Peaceful Protest, Right to Peaceful Assembly and other fundamental rights.

"The Foreign Secretary deplored the firing by Indian security forces on peaceful protesters, resulting in killings of more than 30 innocent people and injuries of more than 300, around 50 critically. He highlighted that such brutal use of force is not acceptable under any circumstances," the statement added.

The Foreign Secretary also called for fair and transparent inquiry against individuals responsible for these killings and emphasized that oppressive measures cannot deter the 'valiant people' of the Jammu and Kashmir from their demand of exercising their right to self determination in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.

Chaudhry reiterated Pakistan's call on the Indian government to fulfil its human rights obligations as well as its commitments under the United Nations Security Council Resolutions to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

However, India has advised Islamabad to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of its neighbours.

On Monday, the Ministry of External Affairs responded saying that Islamabad's statement reflected their attachment to terrorism.

"They reflect Pakistan's continued attachment to terrorism and its usage as an instrument of state policy. Pakistan is advised to refrain from interfering in internal affairs of its neighbours," the statement said.

"There is enough information we have about Pakistan' role in aiding and abetting trouble in the Kashmir region," said Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office and a lawmaker from Jammu and Kashmir.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu also said that "terrorists" were getting support from the neighbourhood, though he did not mention Pakistan.

About Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif criticism of Indian security personnel’s alleged use of “excessive and unlawful force” against civilians, the Union minister said, "It is a long issue because they are getting support from the neighbourhood. Aiding, abetting, funding, training terrorism has been going on."