‘Pak should not interfere in India’s internal affairs’

A day after Pakistan described as ‘unwarranted and excessive’ the police action in J and K, New Delhi ask Islamabad not to interfere in India’s internal affairs, reports Nagendar Sharma.

A day after Pakistan described as ‘unwarranted and excessive’ the police action in Jammu and Kashmir, New Delhi on Tuesday asked Islamabad not to interfere in India’s internal affairs.

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“These statements constitute clear interference in the internal affairs of an integral part of India,” External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said.

The government’s strong reaction follows the statements by Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Ministry spokesman Mohammad Sadiq, in which they had expressed concern over the deteriorating situation in J&K.

“The government of Pakistan condemns the excessive and unwarranted use of force against the people of Indian Occupied Kashmir,” Qureshi had said in a statement in Islamabad on Monday night.

He had also appealed to put an end to the violence, which was resulting in “loss of life and property of the Kashmiri people.” In a separate statement, Sadiq had expressed concern at reported attacks on the life and property of Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir. He had also condemned the community’s ‘economic blockade by extremist elements’.

Rebutting the comments from Pakistan, the MEA said all necessary steps were being taken to restore law and order. “Such statements by leaders of a foreign country do not help the situation. Nor do they contribute to creating the atmosphere necessary for the dialogue process between India and Pakistan to move forward,” Sarna said.

This is for the second time in a week that India and Pakistan have engaged in a war of words over the situation in J&K.

Only last week, the Pakistan Senate had passed a resolution expressing concern over the reported “economic blockade imposed by Hindu extremists against the Muslims of Jammu and the Valley of Kashmir”.

India had termed it as gross interference in its internal affairs and had asked the upper house of Pakistan Parliament to instead focus on issues in areas where it had legitimate rights.