PTI
NEW DELHI, JULY 18
AS tensions escalated with fresh ceasefire violations by Pakistan, Congress on Saturday said India’s Pakistan policy under Narendra Modi dispensation has become an “international joke”.
“The Prime Minister must spell out clearly what India has achieved by this so-called joint statement with Pakistan at Ufa... Pakistan has continued to backstab us in the last 15 months,” party spokesman R P N Singh told reporters.
Attacking Modi for his “prompt” acceptance of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s invite to visit the neighbouring country, Singh said he must explain to the nation what was the “tearing hurry” in taking the decision as Pakistan has not taken any action against the perpetrators of Mumbai attack.
“There have been more than 800 ceasefire violations. At least a dozen soldiers have lost their lives and 18 civilians have been killed since the time BJP came to power, but Modi has ignored all these sacrifices in order to register his so-called victory in the context of Pakistan policy,” he said.
He recalled that Manmohan Singh had not visited Pakistan even once in his ten-year long tenure as Prime Minister.
“The BJP with all its rhetoric on nationalism is failing to handle Jammu and Kasmir day by day and has adopted a completely directionless and embarrassing policy towards dealing with Pakistan,” he remarked.
Condemning attempts to disturb peace in Jammu and Kashmir, he said Pakistani and ISIS flags were raised by protesters in Srinagar and Anantnag today.
“The same incident happened in Srinagar yesterday, when the Prime Minister was in Jammu,” he said.
Demanding strong action against such miscreants, the Congress leader said, “Any attempt to legitimise their cause by the state will expose the soft approach by the Modi government towards such militants, who cannot be called Kashmiris.”
War is not the option, India will engage with Pak to resolve issues’
INDIA will take forward its engagement with Pakistan to resolve all outstanding bilateral issues notwithstanding flare ups in border as “war is not the option”.
Making this clear, top government sources said New Delhi believes that dialogue is only option to resolve all pending irritants with Islamabad and Prime Ministers of both the countries have reached an understanding for it at their recent meeting in Ufa (Russia).
“Talks are on track. Dialogue is the only way forward as war is not the option,” the sources said.
Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar had said recently that India was committed for dialogue with Pakistan but will give “effective and forceful” response to unprovoked firing and cross-border terrorism. As agreed in Ufa, the three level of talks -- between National Security Advisors, Directors General of Military Operations and chiefs of border guards forces -- will be held. The first meeting between DGs of BSF and Pakistan Rangers will be held on September 9-13.
“The three level of talks will go on notwithstanding whatever happens in border,” the sources said.
THE Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday brushed aside an attempt by Pakistan to lodge a complaint against India with the UN Military Observer Group for alleged ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.
MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said UNMOGIP has no role in the matter.
“The original mandate of UNMOGIP was to monitor the ceasefire line between India and Pakistan. Following the conversion of the ceasefire line into the Line of Control in 1972, following the Shimla Agreement, it has been our belief that UNMOGIP has no more role or relevance in this matter,” Swarup told ANI.
On Friday, the Pakistan army said it had sought the good offices of United Nations Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan ( UNMOGIP) to investigate alleged Indian ceasefire violations.
Meanwhile, five Indian civilians were injured today in the ceasefire violation by the Pakistani Army in the Kerni sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district.
It was the second such act by the Pakistani Army in the past 12 hours. Earlier in the day, there was unprovoked firing from the other side of the border at two posts in Jammu and Kashmir’s Nowshera sector along the Line of Control.
This is also the sixth ceasefire violation by Pakistan in the last three days.
