NEW DELHI: Terming cross-border terrorism, largely supported by Pakistan, as the root cause behind the unrest in Kashmir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the most stringent attack on the neighbouring country since his coming to power said it was time for it to talk about atrocities on people in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Balochistan.
In a bid to counter Pakistan’s propaganda on Kashmir, Modi took an aggressive posture, which may now define the new policy regarding the recalcitrant neighbour. “When we talk about Jammu and Kashmir, we should speak of the four parts of state: Jammu, Kashmir Valley, Ladakh, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK),” Modi said during the all-party meeting on Kashmir held here on the final day of the monsoon session. Lok Sabha also passed a resolution on Kashmir saying peace should be restored and unity and integrity of the country was supreme. Modi gave a peek into India’s combative attempts at the international fora to reply to Pakistan in the same coin. “Pakistan forgets that it throws bombs on its citizens. Now it is time that Pakistan answers the world about atrocities in Balochistan and PoK,” he said.
“The External Affairs Ministry will contact all those people from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir who are now staying in foreign countries and get information about their plight in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and inform the international community about it,” the Prime Minister told leaders of all political parties who had gathered for the meeting.
The Prime Minister, in his speech, addressed the Kashmir issue at two levels. Apart from talking about addressing the concerns of people, not just in the valley but the entire State including the displaced Kashmiri Pandits, he also mentioned about dealing aggressively with Pakistan. “Jammu and Kashmir is not only an issue of our territorial integrity but it is also the definition of our nationality,” Modi added.