India Dismisses Imran’s NYT Piece on Looming N-war on Kashmir

Brussels: “Didn’t have the time to read it”, is how Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar dismissed the vitriolic opinion piece written by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in the NYT where he has threatened the world with the spectre of a nuclear war over Kashmir. In an interview with POLITICO in Brussels, Jaishankar has also predicted that security restrictions across Kashmir would be eased in the “coming days”.

Responding to questions on the New York Times opinion piece by Khan, in which the latter has sought the opening of a dialogue between Islamabad and New Delhi, Jaishankar has said the idea is a non-starter while Pakistan “openly practices terrorism”. Jaishankar said there is no hope of negotiations until Pakistan reins in its financing and recruitment of militant groups. “Terrorism is not something that is being conducted in dark corners of Pakistan. It’s done in broad daylight,” Jaishankar said.

On the communications lockdown in Kashmir Valley, the EAM said internet and telephone outages were needed to stop the activation of “terrorist assets” and to prevent “people who are doing violence to contact each other”. Asked about medicines and small businesses in Kashmir Valley, he said he thinks “a lot of the reports about shortages are fictitious”, but he also conceded it isn’t possible to stop communications between militants without an impact on the rest of the economy. “How do I cut off communications between the terrorists and their masters on the one hand, but keep the internet open for other people? I would be delighted to know.” Jaishankar expressed confidence that there would be an improvement soon. Jaishankar also denied that there was a Hindu nationalist agenda in removing Kashmir’s special status.

During his visit to Brussels, Jaishankar met the President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, and European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, who urged dialogue between India and Pakistan and “stressed the importance of steps to restore the rights and freedoms of the population in Kashmir”, Mogherini’s office said in a statement. Significantly, Jaishankar, in his talks with Mogherini, conveyed that India is open to discussing “other outstanding issues bilaterally with Pakistan” in an atmosphere free of terror and violence. (IANS)

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