Pakistan to use the UN, not force, on Kashmir
Print Edition
Pakistan will not resort to military action in a row with India over Kashmir, its foreign minister said yesterday, as tensions soared over New Delhi’s decision to tighten its grip on the disputed region.
The statement from Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Pakistani foreign minister, eased fears of an all-out clash between the South Asian neighbors, who fought two of their three wars over the Himalayan region, but none since they both gained nuclear weapons.
On Monday Delhi stripped the Indian-held portion of Kashmir of its special autonomy, bringing it under its direct rule and deepening animosity with Pakistan. The move ignited days of debate over how Pakistan should respond.
“Pakistan is not looking at the military option. We are rather looking at political, diplomatic, and legal options to deal with the prevailing situation,” said Qureshi.
Standing with Kashmiris
Tensions remained high, however, with Qureshi’s comments coming on the heels of a decision by Islamabad to downgrade its diplomatic ties with India, suspend bilateral trade and expel the country’s envoy.
Pakistan has also promised to take the matter to the United Nations Security Council, while its military says it “firmly stands” with Kashmiris.
The diplomatic clash came as a petition was filed with the Supreme Court by an activist challenging the curfew in Kashmir, which was imposed to suppress any unrest in response to the loss of autonomy.
Activist Tahseen Poonawala and lawyer ML Sharma asked the Supreme Court to lift the lockdown and release people who have been detained as part of the crackdown.
University professors, business leaders and activists are among the 560 people rounded up by authorities and taken to makeshift detention centers in the cities of Srinagar, Baramulla and Gurez, the Press Trust of India and the Indian Express reported.
Pakistani Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai yesterday tweeted she was “worried about the safety of the Kashmiri children and women, the most vulnerable to violence and the most likely to suffer losses in conflict.”
Tens of thousands of Indian troops are enforcing the lockdown which includes no Internet or phone services, and are allowing only limited movement on streets usually bustling with tourists flocking to the picturesque valley.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
