Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Condemning continuous killing of the people in the Indian-held Kashmir, Pakistan said Hindu terrorist outfits such as RSS and its affiliates are committing ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Muslims in the region.

During a weekly press briefing, Foreign Office Spokesman Nafees Zakaria said that since 2014, when the Modi government took over, the Hindu terrorists have been fully empowered by the state, more so in the disputed state, causing displacement of scores of Muslim families by design. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is currently visiting Davos to participate in the World Economic Forum, where he enlightened the world leaders about human rights violations by Indian occupied forces in Kashmir, he informed.

During the last two weeks, he said, many Kashmiris have been killed in fake encounters, house raids and custodial killings. This has been going on since 1947 to turn the Muslim majority Jammu district into a Muslim minority district. Genocide, state terrorism, settlement of non-Kashmiris and other tools are being employed to bring about demographic change, he added.

“We condemn atrocities perpetrated by Indian occupation forces and Hindu terrorists in IoK. Pakistan is constantly sensitizing the world community on the grave violation of human rights of hapless Kashmiris in IoK. International Parliamentarians Seminar on January 5 & 6, 2017 and numerous other such activities are a manifestation of Pakistani government and nation’s commitment to our Kashmiri brethren,” he remarked.

He also expressed concerns on the reports that India is building a top-secret nuclear city in Challakere in Karnataka to produce thermonuclear weapons.

He said India was the first country which introduced nuclear weapons in the region. Pakistan only followed the suit, because it had no other choice. India always tried to disturb balance in congenital and non-congenital weapons but Pakistan always demonstrated restraint, the FO spokesman added. This year’s participation of Pakistan at the WEF, he said, is significant in many ways. Democratically strengthening and economically rising Pakistan has been warmly welcomed by the world’s political and business leaders. Pakistan’s progress has been noted, lauded and evinced interest of countries, businessmen and investors, he added. In reference to co-chairing, Zakaria said, “We were proud to see Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy co-chair the WEF session.” He said that Pakistan was a target of Indian-sponsored terrorism. Pakistan wanted to resolve all outstanding issues with India through dialogue.

He said that Pakistan added additional info of Indian involvement in Pakistan in the dossier recently handed over to UN Chief Antonio Guterres. In the dossier arrested Indian serving officer Kulbhashan Yadev’s confiscation statement has also been added. He asked international community to play a role in stopping India from subversive activities inside Pakistan.

He said that in the past SAARC summit meeting was postponed eight times and at least four times India was responsible for it. He said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a project for economic development and beneficial for not only for both countries, but for the entire region. On a statement of former US envoy to Pakistan Cameron Munter that Pakistan was not aware of Osama bin Laden’s presence in Abbottabad, the FO spokesman said Munter tried to clear the perception created after the incidence.