AGENCY
NEW DELHI: Hitting back strongly at Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s statement who called Burhan Wani a ‘martyr’, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday said “Doesn’t he know that Burhan Wani was a Hizbul Mujahideen Commander.”
Reacting to the comments, Sushma said “Pakistan fuelling violence in Kashmir. It has given pain of terrorism there. Pakistan’s designs will never succeed.”
The External Affairs Minister further said “Pakistan is perpetrating terror activities through Hafiz Saeed and other terrorists in an area which is integral part of India.”
Reacting to comments on Jammu and Kashmir becoming part of Pakistan,. Sushma reiterated “Pakistan has a dangerous dream that one day Kashmir will become a part of it. It will never come to reality” and further added “Jammu and Kashmir is India’s integral part. Pakistan will never be able to make it a terror-hell for Kashmiris.”
On Friday, Pakistan Prime Minister declared that “Pakistanis are waiting for the day when Jammu and Kashmir becomes a part of Pakistan.”
In his first public address following his return from London after open heart surgery in May, Sharif urged Kashmiris in Pakistan “not to forget those in [Indian] held Kashmir who are sacrificing their lives to their movement for freedom.
“Their movement for freedom cannot be stopped and it will be successful. You are aware of how they are being beaten and killed. All our prayers are with them and we are waiting for the day Kashmir becomes Pakistan,” the Dawn quoted him as saying.
Sharif spoke after his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz won a landslide victory in elections to the “Azad Jammu and Kashmir” assembly held a day earlier.
The PML-N is set to form the next government in Pakistani Kashmir, whose official name is “Azad Jammu and Kashmir”.
“The day is not far when Jammu and Kashmir will become Pakistan,” the Prime Minister said, adding that those in Indian Kashmir were facing the “worst violations of human rights”.
New Delhi accuses Islamabad of arming and training militants fighting to secede Jammu and Kashmir from India. Pakistan says it only provides moral and diplomatic backing to the separatist campaign.
Pakistan has taken a stridently anti-India line since mass protests erupted in the Kashmir Valley after the July 8 killing by Indian security forces of militant commander Burhan Wani.
Street clashes between those protesting Wani’s killing and the security forces have left over 45 people dead and hundreds injured. Many have been blinded by pellets used by the security forces
