Kashmir is not an internal matter of India, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Thursday and demanded a plebiscite even as the Pakistan government’s call to observe ‘Black Day’ to express solidarity with the people of the Valley received a lukewarm response from the public.
Today (July 20), we are observing Black Day to express solidarity with Kashmiris and are giving a strong message to the world that Pakistanis are with them (Kashmiris) for their struggle to get their rights.Nawaz Sharif
Sharif alleged that India was committing human rights violation in Kashmir which is a matter of great concern for the world community.
India Slams ‘Black Day’
India on Thursday, however, slammed Pakistan for its observance of “Kashmir’s Accession to Pakistan Day”, saying it exposes Pakistan’s “longing for the territory of Jammu and Kashmir” and demanded that Pakistan must vacate its “illegal occupation of POK (Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir).”
In a strong statement, the Ministry of External Affairs also demanded that Pakistan “stop misleading the international community and Kashmiris.”
India asked Pakistan “to stop inciting and supporting violence and terrorism in any part of our country and refrain from its deplorable meddling in our internal affairs in any manner.”
It must also stop misleading the international community and Kashmiris through meaningless exercises such as the so-called elections today in POK which Pakistan ironically calls ‘Azad’ (free).Ministry of External Affairs
India also demanded that Pakistan ensure full safety and security of the officials at the High Commission of India in Islamabad and their families.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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