Pak ignores India’s warning, to take up J&K issue with UN

Earlier, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi described the police action in Jammu and Kashmir as the “excessive and unwarranted use of force” against people, drawing strong reaction from India which said such statements constitute clear interference in internal affairs of an integral part of the country.

Replying to a question on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the spokesman said Pakistan has “set in motion” the process to call on the “international community, in particular the UN, Organisation of the Islamic Conference and human rights organisations to take notice”.

The world community and global organisation would also be asked to “impress upon India to observe restraint and rein in the extremist elements that are seeking economic destruction of the Kashmiri people”, Sadiq said.

Replying to a question on India’s assertion that Pakistan’s statements on the Kashmir issue could affect the composite dialogue process, Sadiq said Jammu and Kashmir was a “disputed territory” according to UN resolutions.

The composite dialogue process too “considers Kashmir a disputed territory” and the Kashmir issue was the “second item on the agenda of the dialogue process”, the spokesman said.

“It is important that an enabling environment, free of violence, is created to sustain the peace process and address the long-standing dispute of Jammu and Kashmir,” Sadiq said.

He also asserted that the situation in Kashmir would not affect the composite dialogue.

“Diplomacy is about talking to each other, it is about reaching out to each other for solutions through talks, and we will continue with that path,” Sadiq said.

The spokesman also referred to the death of Kashmiri separatist leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz during a protest and described it as “tragic and extremely unfortunate”.

He said, “The government of Pakistan condemns the excessive and unwarranted use of force against the people of (Jammu and Kashmir).”