‘With BJP’s J&K Approach, Another Pulwama Bound to Happen’: Pak PM

Imran Khan told the Pakistan Parliament that his party will apprise the world leaders of the Kashmir situation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan

(Photo: PTI/Altered by The Quint)

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan reacted sharply to the developments in Jammu and Kashmir insisting that with an approach like this, “Incidents like Pulwama are bound to happen again”, the Dawn reported.

“I can already predict this will happen. They will attempt to place the blame on us again. They may strike us again, and we will strike back,” Khan told his country’s Parliament on Tuesday, 6 August.

"What will happen then? They will attack us and we will respond and the war can go both ways... But if we fight a war till we shed the last drop of our blood, who will win that war? No one will win it and it will have grievous consequences for the entire world. This is not nuclear blackmail," he added.

Addressing a joint session of the National Assembly on Tuesday to discuss the country's future course of action in the wake of India's decision to effectively revoke Article 370 of its Constitution, Khan said that his government's priority was to improve relations with all of Pakistan's neighbours because it is vital to improve the country's economic situation.

“When I first reached out to India, they expressed concerns that there were militant outfits operating from Pakistan. I told (Narendra) Modi that after the grave and painful tragedy of the Army Public School massacre, all our political parties had resolved to never let the territory of Pakistan be used for terrorist activities. But I got the feeling that the Indian side was not serious about talks. When we went to Bishkek, my suspicions regarding their unwillingness to speak was strengthened.”

Pakistan PM Imran Khan

"What they did in Kashmir is in accordance with their ideology. They have a racist ideology," he declared.

"They have violated their own country's and international laws to (uphold) their ideology.”

‘We Will Apprise World Leaders of Kashmir Situation’

"We want the global leadership to take note. My party and I are taking the responsibility to approach the leaders of the world and apprise them of what is happening in Kashmir. I know the Western world, and I feel like they are not sufficiently aware of what is happening in Kashmir. I will inform them that what the Indian government is doing in Kashmir and what it is doing to Muslims and minorities in India goes against everything the Western world believes in," he said.

The joint session of upper and lower Houses was summoned by President Arif Alvi to decide Pakistan's future course of action in the wake of India's decision to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its special status under Article 370, the paper reported.

But the session was disrupted due to protest from opposition lawmakers who pointed out that the resolution, moved by Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Khan Swati condemning India's "illegal actions" in "occupied Kashmir", did not specifically mention Article 370 of the Indian constitution, IANS reported.

Pak Army Prepared to 'Go to Any Extent' to Help Kashmiris, Says Gen Bajwa

Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Tuesday said that his troops are prepared to "go to any extent" to help Kashmiris.

Gen Bajwa presided over the Corps Commanders Conference, which is the highest decision making forum of the army, held at General Headquarters on a single point agenda of Kashmir.

"Pakistan Army firmly stands by the Kashmiris in their just struggle to the very end. We are prepared and shall go to any extent to fulfil our obligations...," Gen Bajwa told the army commanders, PTI reported.

In a statement, the Army said that the forum fully supported the Pakistan Government's "rejection of Indian actions" regarding Kashmir.

Pakistan never recognised Article 370 of the Indian Constitution or 35-A which have now been revoked by New Delhi itself, the army said.

(With inputs from PTI and IANS)