Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Modi government has resorted to ‘appalling tactics’ just to conceal India’s failure on diplomatic front and to divert the world’s attention from the atrocities in Held Kashmir, said senior leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and former information minister Qamar Zaman Kaira while talking to Daily Times on Monday.

“War is not a solution to the problems. We are a peaceful country and we want to live in peace with the neighbouring countries. But if a war is imposed on us, the entire nation will stand shoulder to shoulder with the brave Pakistan Army. All the political parties, including the PPP, are on the same page on this issue.”

He said that even in India, the general public, political parties and civil society members were protesting against their prime minister’s threat to instigate a war against Pakistan and isolate the country, which was “shameful”.

To a question, he said that Pakistan wanted to resolve all matters, including Kashmir, through negotiation, adding that the people of both the countries desired the same.

He said that the independence movement in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK) was in full swing, and Pakistan would continue its moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiris on every forum.

To another question on the reorganisation of the PPP, Kaira said that five committees each had been constituted in all four provinces, which had almost completed their recommendations in this regard. He said that the recommendations would be forward to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for consideration.

He said that the party chairman would accord final approval to the names proposed by the district and provincial committees through the interview committee, which he had made for the purpose.

He said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had started its reorganisation some five years ago, which was still incomplete. He said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) also held intra-party elections, but the party’s affairs deteriorated instead of getting in line.

Judging from their experience, the PPP decided to go directly to the party workers, letting them decide who their representatives should be at the city, district and provincial levels. He said that the process of reorganisation would be completed soon. “We hope that the leaders who come forward after the reorganisation will work to strengthen the PPP and put the party in order,” he said.