Daily Times

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Sunday expressed optimism that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) leadership would not disappoint Pakistan once ‘facts’ with regards to Indian brutalities in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK) were put forward by Islamabad.

He said this while addressing the media in his hometown Multan, a day after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was honoured with the UAE’s highest civilian award in appreciation to his “effort to boost bilateral ties between the two regions”.

Modi was honoured by the Middle Eastern nation amid brutal lockdown in IHK in place since August 4, with freedom of movement restricted and phones and the Internet cut.

At least 200 people have reportedly been injured in sporadic protest demonstrations despite strict curfew, with presence of more than 800,000 Indian troops in the occupied valley.

Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani also cancelled his pre-scheduled trip to the UAE, saying it would hurt the feelings of the Kashmiri people.

Qureshi, in his media talk, said people must understand that the UAE and India enjoy good bilateral relations with thousands of Indian expatriates working in the Middle Eastern country. “However, Pakistan also enjoys cordial relations with the UAE and once facts will be presented to them, I am hopeful that they won’t disappoint Pakistan.”

The foreign minister, while citing the recent statements by the OIC and Iranian leadership, said that Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts were gradually convincing the international community, including the Muslim world, that atrocities were being committed in IHK.

He said medical experts had confirmed that there was a dearth of medicines in IHK, adding that they had demanded that the curfew, which had now entered its 21st day, must be lifted to avoid a major humanitarian crisis from unfolding in front of the whole world.

Referring to the treatment meted out to the Indian media at Srinagar airport during Indian opposition leaders’ visit on Saturday, Qureshi said he now expected that the Indian media would wake up and highlight the human rights violations in IHK.

The foreign minister hoped that the Indian Supreme Court would not succumb under Modi government’s pressure and justice would be done to a petition challenging the August 5 move.