Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Asad Majeed Khan has urged the world powers to critically examine the escalating tensions between two nuclear-armed rivals, Pakistan and India, as Modi government’s clampdown in occupied Kashmir could destabilise the entire region.
Khan, in an interview with Newsweek, stated that “things are getting worse” in Kashmir due to the complete lockdown since Aug 5 when special autonomy of the Himalayan region was revoked in an illegitimate attempt.
He pointed to international media reports of “an uninterrupted curfew, restraining the movement of people and internet and telephone suspension” as well as instances of violence with few other details emerging from the closed-off state.
“India’s actions in Kashmir could destabilise the entire region and lead to another conflict between the neighbors,” he warned.
“We are also clearly seeing an escalation on the Line of Control in the kind of weapons India is using,” he stated while referring to India’s use of cluster ammunition.
“This is of immense concern. It’s not just a serious and grave humanitarian crisis, but a danger to peace and security in the region.”
He further added that he “would not like to speculate on what it would look like if conflict erupts […] Pakistan has acted with great restraint and responsibility” regarding its response to India.
About India’s violations of 11 United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions as Modi attempts to tighten his grip on the disputed region, the envoy said, “impacts the final disposition regarding the people of Kashmir.”
The magazine further noted that while Pakistan exercises restraint, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had signalled a change in India’s “no-first-use” nuclear weapons policy, as he said that “what happens in future depends on the circumstances”.
Khan said Singh’s words were “an act of irresponsibility on India’s part and the world should take notice of that.”
The diplomat warned that such talk was instigated by Modi to “whip up a national frenzy to gain domestic political mileage.”
“And he did, actually, that’s our fear,” he added. “We’re very fearful.”
