'De-terrorise Pakistan, not de-militarise Kashmir': India hits back at Nawaz Sharif
New York: Hitting back at Pakistan after it raised Kashmir issue at the UN, India on Thursday said de-militarising Kashmir is not the answer for achieving peace but "deterrorising" Pakistan is.
"To de-militarise Kashmir is not the answer, to de-terrorise Pakistan is," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted after Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif raked up Kashmir issue in his address at UN General Assembly.
To de-militarize Kashmir is not the answer, to de-terrorize Pakistan is.
— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) September 30, 2015Using the podium of the UN, Sharif had raised Kashmir issue, terming its non-resolution as a failure of the world body, and proposed a 4-point "peace initiative" with India which includes demilitarisation of Kashmir.
On Sharif describing Pakistan as the "primary victim" of terrorism, Swarup said, "Pakistan is not primary victim of terrorism but of its own policies. It is in fact the prime sponsor of terrorism."
Swarup further tweeted that Pakistan's "instability arises from its breeding of terrorists. Blaming neighbours is not a solution."
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Reacting to Sharif's remarks that "Palestinians and Kashmiris (are) oppressed by foreign occupation", Swarup said the "Pak PM gets foreign occupation right, occupier wrong. We urge early vacation of Pak occupied Kashmir."
Sharif had equated Kashmir with Palestine while talking about "suffering of Muslims across the world", saying "Palestinians and Kashmiris (are) oppressed by foreign occupation."
Asked about four initiatives raised by Sharif, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup told reporters to wait for External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's address to the General Assembly today.
"We have extended repeatedly our hand of friendship to Pakistan. But at the same time, we have said that any cross border provocation will also be responded to," he said.
