ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has asserted that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday’s meeting with politicians of Occupied Kashmir was ‘a drama’ that achieved nothing.
“In my view it was a drama. Because at best it could be called a public relations exercise but nothing was achieved from it,” the foreign minister said while addressing a press conference in Islamabad today (Friday).
He termed the talks unsuccessful and pointless, adding that nothing would be gained from them. “Kashmiris are still demanding their autonomous status and independence. They want security and are not accepting the demographic restructuring in IoK,” he added.
The Foreign Minister said the Kashmiri leaders unanimously demanded reversal of India’s illegal acts of August 5, 2019 and full-fledged restoration of statehood. “The politicians had gotten no concrete answer on their demands and were instead told that statehood could be restored at an opportune time,” he added.
“What is an opportune time? Two years have passed and how many more Kashmiri lives will have to be sacrificed?” questioned the foreign minister. He said Modi’s illegal acts about Kashmir two years ago badly damaged his image within the country as well as at international level, and he wanted to repair the damage through this meeting.
Qureshi also highlighted that the demands of the Kashmiri politicians had included release of political prisoners, restoration of fundamental rights, end to extrajudicial killings and reversal of illegal and unilateral steps.
In response to a question regarding backdoor diplomacy with India, Qureshi said, “There is no backdoor channel. There is contact on the regional situation at an intelligence level but there is no backdoor channel.”
The foreign minister was also questioned on the increasing violence in Pakistan and territory gains made by the Taliban to which he responded that there were other elements responsible for the violence in Afghanistan as well.
