Pakistan puts onus on India for creating credible, conducive atmosphere

ISLAMABAD: The blame game between India and Pakistan continue, as tensions move from bad to worse with griming hopes of table talks. With both parties exchanging heavy gunfire and reporting casualties on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC), diplomatic offensive is also in full swing with criticizing statements coming with full force from both sides.

In a latest, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan said that New Delhi wishes to have good neighbourly relations with Pakistan, but for that Islamabad had to create "a conducive atmosphere by taking credible, verifiable and irreversible actions against terrorism".

The statement did not go well with Pakistan as it hit back, stating that the "onus was on India to create an enabling environment for normalization of relationship by reversing its illegal and unilateral actions, ending state terrorism against the Kashmiri people and agreeing to resolve the dispute in accordance with the international legitimacy".

This was stated by spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) ZahidHafeezChaudhri during a weekly press briefing in Islamabad.

"With its gross systematic human rights violations and state terrorism in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), India cannot mislead the world community by leveling unfounded allegations against others," he added.

"It is India that has vitiated the atmosphere with its illegal and unilateral measures of August 5, 2019 in IIOJK and with continuous belligerent rhetoric and aggressive actions."

Tensions were also escalating along the border as heavy exchanges of gunfire at the Line of Control (LoC) has killed civilians and soldiers on both sides.

Pakistan has been summoning a senior Indian diplomat to register its protest over what it called ceasefire violation by Indian forces along the LoC. In the past few days, the diplomat has been summoned at least four times. On Friday, Indian diplomat was summoned at the Pakistan foreign office and a strong protest was registered over ceasefire violations.

"A senior Indian diplomat on Friday was summoned to register Pakistan's strong protest over the ceasefire violations by Indian forces along the LoC in Hotsrping and Jandrot sectors, resulting in serious injuries to three innocent civilians," a statement from the Pakistan Foreign Office said.

"Due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by Indian occupying forces, 15-year-old IrumRiaz, 26-year-old NusratKausar and 16-year-old Mukkheel – residents of Andrala Nar Village – sustained serious injuries," it added.

Pakistan claims that India has committed at least 2,280 ceasefire violations this year, which have resulted in "18 martyrdoms and 183 serious injuries". "These egregious violations of international law reflect consistent Indian attempts to escalate the situation along the LoC and are a threat to regional peace and security," the statement said. (IANS)

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