Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’s bold move to nominate 22 parliamentarians as special envoys to important capitals to highlight brutalities and human rights abuses in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) on Saturday evoked a strong response from the Indian media.
The Indian media reacted angrily by terming it “provocation”, “needling” and “meddling” in the country affairs, while reporting the news.
Being provoked by the historic step by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif the Indian media reacted negatively and termed it meddling in Indian affairs.
The Indian Express reported with a headline “Pak needles India on Kashmir”. “Further needling India on the Kashmir issue, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday nominated 22 parliamentarians as special envoys to be despatched to world capitals to highlight the problem.
“We will remind the United Nations its long-held promise of self-determination to the Kashmiri people,” Sharif said. Stepping up Pakistan’s diplomatic offensive, the prime minister said he has decided to send the parliamentarians for highlighting the Kashmir issue in different parts of the World.
The Indian press termed the move by Sharif in the backdrop of escalating war of words between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the continuing unrest in the Kashmir Valley that broke out on July 8 after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed by security forces.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had urged the special envoys to ensure their efforts for highlighting the Kashmir cause across the world so that he can shake the collective conscience of the international community during his address at the UN this September. The Times of India in its news report stated; “Even as India continues to ramp up pressure on Islamabad over its incitement of violence and unrest in Kashmir, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday announced that he has tasked 22 parliamentarians with raking up the Kashmir issue in various international forums.”
Prime Minister Sharif said that he was sending these parliamentarians for fighting the Kashmir cause in different parts of the world.
“These special envoys have strength of the people of Pakistan, prayers from the Kashmiri people across the Line of Control, mandate of the Parliament and support from the government.”
A visibly frustrated The First Post in its headline; “Pakistan provokes India”, stated “the move can be seen as provocation from Pakistan’s side, which has been in a constant tussle with the Indian political leadership over the Kashmir issue recently.” It pointed that PM Sharif’s comments came as Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to apprise him of the security situation in the valley.
After meeting with the PM, Mehbooba slammed Pakistan for provoking youths of the valley and inciting violence, the paper said.
Prime Minister Sharif had stated that Pakistan would remind the United Nations of its long-held promise of self determination to the Kashmiri people and make it clear that it was India that approached the bloc several decades back on the issue but not fulfilling its promise.
“The Kashmir issue is the most persistent failure of the UN,” Sharif said.
India TV News in its online site stated: “In his desperation to fish in the troubled waters of Kashmir valley, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today appointed 22 parliamentarians as special envoys to “fight for the Kashmir cause” across the world.”
The Quint began its report with a headline: “Sharif ropes 22 Envoys to Expose Human Rights Abuse in Kashmir” and stated “By making these appointments, Sharif is attempting to expose the alleged abuse of human rights in the Kashmir valley in the context of the ongoing violence.”
India.com said Sharif wants to highlight the plight of Kashmiris before the international community; “Amidst efforts by the Narendra Modi government to bring some semblance of peace in the Kashmir Valley, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is planning to take the issue to the international level”
The News World India earlier this month, in yet another bid to highlight the Kashmir issue, the Pakistan Prime Minister vowed to provide medical help to those injured in violence there and called on the international community to ask India to provide access for treatment of victims.
India Today began its story; “In yet another attempt to meddle in India’s internal affairs, Pakistan today nominated 22 Parliamentarians to raise the Kashmir dispute in the United Nations in September.