India rejects Sharif's demand for de-militarising Kashmir

United Nations, Oct 1: India today rejected Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's demand for de-militarising Kashmir and instead said it is Pakistan that should be "deterrorised."

India's strong reaction came shortly after Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made a demand for demilitarisation of Kashmir as part of his 4-point "peace initiative" with India.

Raking up the Kashmir issue while addressing the UN General Assembly(UNGA), Sharif termed its non-resolution as a failure of the world body.

"To de-militarise Kashmir is not the answer, to de-terrorise Pakistan is. "Pakistan is not primary victim of terrorism but of its own policies. It is in fact the prime sponsor of terrorism," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in sharp retorts through a series of tweets.

Another Indian official called Pakistan a "prime sponsor of terrorism" as it uses terror as a "legitimate instrument" of its statecraft after Sharif said Pakistan is the "primary victim" of terrorism. "In truth, it(Pakistan) is actually a victim of its own policies of breeding and sponsoring terrorists.

The heart of the matter is a state that regards the use of terrorism as a legitimate instrument of statecraft.

"The world watches with concern as its consequences have spread beyond its immediate neighbourhood," First Secretary in the Permanent Mission of India to the UN Abhishek Singh said in a sharp retort exercising India's Right of Reply during the General Debate of 70th session of UNGA.

In more tweets, Swarup said that Pakistan's "instability arises from its breeding of terrorists. Blaming neighbours is not a solution." 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."

Abhishek Singh also hit out at Pakistan on this issue, asserting that the "occupier in question is Pakistan." He also asserted that on each occasion, it is India that has extended the hand of friendship.

"India remains open even today to engage Pakistan on outstanding issues in an atmosphere free of terrorism and violence," he added.

PTI