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Echoing Delhi's stance, Saudi Arabia called on India and Pakistan to resolve their issues, including Kashmir, bilaterally. The development comes even as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan issued a joint statement in which Kashmir was mentioned.

The statement said, both countries "stressed the importance of dialogue between Pakistan &amp; India to resolve the outstanding issues between the two countries, especially the Jammu and Kashmir dispute to ensure peace and stability in the region".

Watch:&nbsp;Pakistan: Vehicle carrying Chinese nationals was not even bulletproof, says report

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The statement was released during Pakistan Prime Minister Shehnaz Sharif's Saudi Arabia visit. The visit was the first foreign visit undertaken by Pakistan's PM after taking charge earlier this year.&nbsp;

Notably, the joint statement made no references to United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions on Kashmir, diverging from Pakistan's traditional stance. Instead, the emphasis was placed on the bilateral framework, something that is established under the Shimla Pact, echoing India's position on resolving disputes directly between both parties.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwiMyIbw1rKFAxWfS2cHHSRaBToQxfQBKAB6BAgREAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-security-forces-eliminate-10-terrorists-in-anti-terror-ops-across-country-708457" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-security-forces-eliminate-10-terrorists-in-anti-terror-ops-across-country-708457&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiMyIbw1rKFAxWfS2cHHSRaBToQxfQBKAB6BAgREAE">Pakistan security forces eliminate 12 terrorists in three anti-terror operations across country</a>

The 2021 Pakistan-Saudi Arabia joint statement also used the same formulation. Additionally, during that joint statement, the Saudi crown prince welcomed the ceasefire agreement between India and the Pakistan Army on February 25, 2021.

The joint statement reflects Riyadh's continued support for India's position on Kashmir. It also underscores the growing strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and India. The rapport between PM Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is well known, with both leaders engaging on several fronts, including India's Middle East Europe corridor on the sidelines of the Delhi G20 Summit.&nbsp;

The Pakistan-Saudi Arabia joint statement is in contrast to Pakistan-China joint statements issued in the past, in which Kashmir has been mentioned with reference to UNSC resolutions.&nbsp;

Echoing Delhi's stance, Saudi Arabia called on India and Pakistan to resolve their issues, including Kashmir, bilaterally. The development comes even as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan issued a joint statement in which Kashmir was mentioned.

Echoing Delhi's stance, Saudi Arabia called on India and Pakistan to resolve their issues, including Kashmir, bilaterally. The development comes even as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan issued a joint statement in which Kashmir was mentioned. The statement said, both countries "stressed the importance of dialogue between Pakistan & India to resolve the outstanding issues between the two countries, especially the Jammu and Kashmir dispute to ensure peace and stability in the region". Watch: Pakistan: Vehicle carrying Chinese nationals was not even bulletproof, says report × The statement was released during Pakistan Prime Minister Shehnaz Sharif's Saudi Arabia visit. The visit was the first foreign visit undertaken by Pakistan's PM after taking charge earlier this year. Notably, the joint statement made no references to United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions on Kashmir, diverging from Pakistan's traditional stance. Instead, the emphasis was placed on the bilateral framework, something that is established under the Shimla Pact, echoing India's position on resolving disputes directly between both parties. Also read: Pakistan security forces eliminate 12 terrorists in three anti-terror operations across country The 2021 Pakistan-Saudi Arabia joint statement also used the same formulation. Additionally, during that joint statement, the Saudi crown prince welcomed the ceasefire agreement between India and the Pakistan Army on February 25, 2021. The joint statement reflects Riyadh's continued support for India's position on Kashmir. It also underscores the growing strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and India. The rapport between PM Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is well known, with both leaders engaging on several fronts, including India's Middle East Europe corridor on the sidelines of the Delhi G20 Summit. The Pakistan-Saudi Arabia joint statement is in contrast to Pakistan-China joint statements issued in the past, in which Kashmir has been mentioned with reference to UNSC resolutions.

Echoing Delhi’s stance, Saudi Arabia calls on India, Pak to resolve Kashmir dispute bilaterally

General Pervez Musharraf, the former head of the Pakistani military who is&nbsp;also considered the architect of the cross-border intrusions that sparked the Kargil War of 1999, and who perhaps came the closest to resolving the Kashmir dispute with India, passed away on Sunday (February 5) at the age of 79 after a prolonged illness. The bloodless coup in 1999 that toppled the elected civilian government led by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif brought to power the four-star general&nbsp;who tenaciously clung to power, helping institute the PML-Q party, before being forced to resign in 2008 to avoid impeachment.

<h2 id="main-heading" tabindex="-1">Pervez Musharraf: Born in Old Delhi's Daryaganj</h2>

Musharraf, who was born on August 11, 1943, in Old Delhi's Daryaganj to a career diplomat, advanced through the Pakistan Army's ranks until being appointed by Sharif as army chief in October 1998.

Musharraf's passing brings to mind an&nbsp;aspect of his Indian connection: his birthplace in the Daryaganj neighbourhood of Old Delhi in 1943. His residence, the "Neharwali Haveli," is situated in Daryaganj near Kucha Saadullah Khan, behind the Golcha theatre. Before migrating to Pakistan in the event of partition, he spent the first four years of his childhood there.&nbsp;

He visited his ancestral home in Daryaganj on his first trip to India as president of Pakistan. He also spoke with "friends" and "neighbours" while he was there, reports PTI.

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Former dictator <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ParvezMusharraf?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ParvezMusharraf</a> was undergoing treatment for amyloidosis at American Hospital Dubai.<a href="https://t.co/0LmRc3GasK">https://t.co/0LmRc3GasK</a>
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After retiring as the commissioner of Punjab, Musharraf's grandfather Qazi Mohtashimuddin bought the "Neharwali Haveli." After his family relocated to Pakistan following the partition, the property was abandoned and is now mostly in ruins.&nbsp;

<h2>Pervez Musharraf: Architect of the 1999 Kargil War </h2>

Musharraf served as a key strategist in the Kargil War with India. He issued the directive for soldiers to be discreetly sent into the Kargil region (one of the two districts of Ladakh region and the second largest town of Ladakh, situated roughly at equal distance of 200km&nbsp;from Srinagar, Leh, Padum Zanskar and Skardo Baltistan&nbsp;from March to&nbsp;May 1999.&nbsp;After India learned of the infiltration, a full-scale battle broke out.

Nawaz Sharif, however, stopped aiding the rebels in the border war in July 1999 as a result of growing international pressure.&nbsp;Following Sharif's action, the Pakistan Army was enraged, and speculation of a potential coup quickly spread.

Who was to blame for the Kargil conflict and Pakistan's withdrawal was a point of contention between Sharif and Musharraf.

Also watch |&nbsp;Pervez Musharraf: Pakistan's last military ruler and architect of the Kargil War

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With his top commanders, including the chief of the navy staff Admiral Fasih Bokhari, the chief of the air staff Air Chief Marshal PQ Mehdi, and senior lieutenant-general Ali Kuli Khan, Musharraf had a heated exchange.

General Kuli Khan slammed the war as "a disaster bigger than the East-Pakistan tragedy," adding that the plan was "flawed in terms of its conception, tactical planning, and execution" that resulted in "sacrificing so many soldiers." Admiral Bokhari eventually demanded a full-fledged joint-service court martial against General Musharraf.

Pakistan's biggest strategic error was the Kargil intrusion because Islamabad failed to anticipate the consequences on a global scale. In addition to suffering worldwide humiliation and alienation, Kargil cleared the ground for the US to shift more towards India. The US condemned Pakistan for placing the two South Asian adversaries at risk of a nuclear conflict for the first time after viewing India-Pakistan ties independently and objectively.

<h2>The Agra Summit: When Vajpayee and Musharraf 'almost resolved' the Kashmir conflict</h2>

The Agra Summit (July 14-16, 2001) has gone down in history as one of the most significant squandered chances in India-Pakistan relations. In his book "Neither a Hawk Nor a Dove," former Pakistani foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri wrote that the “solution to Kashmir was in the grasp of both governments”.

The "Four-point solution" to Kashmir was put out by then-Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. Then Indian PM&nbsp;Atal Bihari Vajpayee was said to have been in favour of the idea in principle, but the agreement fell through hours before the signing ceremony, as reported by the PTI.

The Musharraf plan’s four points were:

1.&nbsp;Demilitarisation or phased withdrawal of troops

On both sides of the Line of Control (LoC), millions of soldiers were stationed in Kashmir. In order to achieve a lasting peace, Musharraf said that both India and Pakistan would have to reduce the number of soldiers stationed there. It was up to the two parties to decide whether this withdrawal would be gradual and phased.

2. The borders of Kashmir shall remain unchanged. However, Jammu and Kashmir residents would be permitted to cross the Line of Control (LoC) without restriction.

The Shimla Agreement of 1972 established what is essentially a ceasefire line along the Line of Control (LoC). However, it is not recognised as the International Border by either India or Pakistan. In exchange for Pakistan accepting Indian sovereignty over the portion of Jammu and Kashmir on India's side of the Line of Control (LoC), India would have to recognise Pakistan's sovereignty over Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Both sides would then give up their claims to Kashmir's other half, and the ceasefire line would become the International Border. The inhabitants of Jammu and Kashmir, however, would be permitted to travel freely to the other side.

3. Self-governance without independence

Musharraf was ready to give up what Pakistan has long argued for in favour of a higher degree of autonomy. Pakistan has long supported what it refers to as "Kashmiri self-determination." Vajpayee would probably not object too much to this agreement condition because Article 370 of the Indian Constitution already grants J&amp;K autonomy. The repeal of Article 370, one of the BJP's fundamental ideological tenets, would have had to be conceded, but it would also have ended Pakistani assistance for militants in Kashmir who were in favour of independence.

4.&nbsp;A joint supervision mechanism in Jammu and Kashmir involving India, Pakistan and Kashmir.

Musharraf would have had a better chance of persuading Pakistanis at home to support a prospective Musharraf-Vajpayee pact if he had chosen to involve local Kashmiri leadership in the supervisory system.

Even though a draft resolution was prepared for signing, Musharraf claimed that the Indian side had broken the agreement years after the summit's failure. At a 2004 event, Musharraf remarked, "I was told that the Indian Cabinet had refused to give its nod."

However, one account claims that Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the separatist leader, was the only one to become a hurdle in the peace agreement. "He (Geelani) described President Musharraf's four-point plan as vague, and he attacked the president's stance on the importance of UNSC resolutions to Kashmir," Khurshid Mahmud&nbsp;Kasuri wrote&nbsp;in his book,&nbsp;Neither a Hawk Nor a Dove.&nbsp;

<h2>Pakistan's State-sponsored terrorism in Kashmir&nbsp;</h2>

Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf admitted in the year 2015 that Pakistan supported and trained groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in 1990s to carry out militancy in Kashmir.

Also watch |&nbsp;Former President Pervez Musharraf's last rites to be held in Pakistan

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“In the 1990s, the freedom struggle began in Kashmir. At that time, Lashkar-e-Taiba and 11 or 12 other organisations were formed. We supported them and trained them as they were fighting in Kashmir at the cost of their lives,” Musharraf said in an interview to&nbsp;Dunya News&nbsp;in 2015.

Regarding the actions taken against Hafiz Saeed and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi of the LeT, the former army chief while&nbsp;replying to a question&nbsp;claimed that Saeed and Lakhvi benefited from the status of heroes at the time.

“The Kashmiri freedom fighters including Hafiz Saeed and Lakhvi were our heroes at that time. Later on, religious militancy turned into terrorism. Now they (referring to militants in Pakistan) are killing their own people here and this should be controlled and stopped,” he said.

To a question whether Saeed and Lakhvi should also be “controlled and stopped”,&nbsp;Musharraf said, “No comments.”

He said that "religious militancy," which attracted terrorists from all over the world to battle Soviet forces, was established by Pakistan.&nbsp;He added,&nbsp;in 1979 Pakistan was in favour of religious militancy.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

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General Pervez Musharraf, the former head of the Pakistani military who is also considered the architect of the cross-border intrusions that sparked the Kargil War of 1999, and who perhaps came the closest to resolving the Kashmir dispute with India, passed away on Sunday (February 5) at the age of 79 after a prolonged illness.

General Pervez Musharraf, the former head of the Pakistani military who is also considered the architect of the cross-border intrusions that sparked the Kargil War of 1999, and who perhaps came the closest to resolving the Kashmir dispute with India, passed away on Sunday (February 5) at the age of 79 after a prolonged illness. The bloodless coup in 1999 that toppled the elected civilian government led by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif brought to power the four-star general who tenaciously clung to power, helping institute the PML-Q party, before being forced to resign in 2008 to avoid impeachment. Pervez Musharraf: Born in Old Delhi's Daryaganj Musharraf, who was born on August 11, 1943, in Old Delhi's Daryaganj to a career diplomat, advanced through the Pakistan Army's ranks until being appointed by Sharif as army chief in October 1998. Musharraf's passing brings to mind an aspect of his Indian connection: his birthplace in the Daryaganj neighbourhood of Old Delhi in 1943. His residence, the "Neharwali Haveli," is situated in Daryaganj near Kucha Saadullah Khan, behind the Golcha theatre. Before migrating to Pakistan in the event of partition, he spent the first four years of his childhood there. He visited his ancestral home in Daryaganj on his first trip to India as president of Pakistan. He also spoke with "friends" and "neighbours" while he was there, reports PTI. Former dictator #ParvezMusharraf was undergoing treatment for amyloidosis at American Hospital Dubai.https://t.co/0LmRc3GasK — WION (@WIONews) February 5, 2023 × After retiring as the commissioner of Punjab, Musharraf's grandfather Qazi Mohtashimuddin bought the "Neharwali Haveli." After his family relocated to Pakistan following the partition, the property was abandoned and is now mostly in ruins. Pervez Musharraf: Architect of the 1999 Kargil War Musharraf served as a key strategist in the Kargil War with India. He issued the directive for soldiers to be discreetly sent into the Kargil region (one of the two districts of Ladakh region and the second largest town of Ladakh, situated roughly at equal distance of 200km from Srinagar, Leh, Padum Zanskar and Skardo Baltistan from March to May 1999. After India learned of the infiltration, a full-scale battle broke out. Nawaz Sharif, however, stopped aiding the rebels in the border war in July 1999 as a result of growing international pressure. Following Sharif's action, the Pakistan Army was enraged, and speculation of a potential coup quickly spread. Who was to blame for the Kargil conflict and Pakistan's withdrawal was a point of contention between Sharif and Musharraf. Also watch | Pervez Musharraf: Pakistan's last military ruler and architect of the Kargil War With his top commanders, including the chief of the navy staff Admiral Fasih Bokhari, the chief of the air staff Air Chief Marshal PQ Mehdi, and senior lieutenant-general Ali Kuli Khan, Musharraf had a heated exchange. General Kuli Khan slammed the war as "a disaster bigger than the East-Pakistan tragedy," adding that the plan was "flawed in terms of its conception, tactical planning, and execution" that resulted in "sacrificing so many soldiers." Admiral Bokhari eventually demanded a full-fledged joint-service court martial against General Musharraf. Pakistan's biggest strategic error was the Kargil intrusion because Islamabad failed to anticipate the consequences on a global scale. In addition to suffering worldwide humiliation and alienation, Kargil cleared the ground for the US to shift more towards India. The US condemned Pakistan for placing the two South Asian adversaries at risk of a nuclear conflict for the first time after viewing India-Pakistan ties independently and objectively. The Agra Summit: When Vajpayee and Musharraf 'almost resolved' the Kashmir conflict The Agra Summit (July 14-16, 2001) has gone down in history as one of the most significant squandered chances in India-Pakistan relations. In his book "Neither a Hawk Nor a Dove," former Pakistani foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri wrote that the “solution to Kashmir was in the grasp of both governments”. The "Four-point solution" to Kashmir was put out by then-Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. Then Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee was said to have been in favour of the idea in principle, but the agreement fell through hours before the signing ceremony, as reported by the PTI. The Musharraf plan’s four points were: 1. Demilitarisation or phased withdrawal of troops On both sides of the Line of Control (LoC), millions of soldiers were stationed in Kashmir. In order to achieve a lasting peace, Musharraf said that both India and Pakistan would have to reduce the number of soldiers stationed there. It was up to the two parties to decide whether this withdrawal would be gradual and phased. 2. The borders of Kashmir shall remain unchanged. However, Jammu and Kashmir residents would be permitted to cross the Line of Control (LoC) without restriction. The Shimla Agreement of 1972 established what is essentially a ceasefire line along the Line of Control (LoC). However, it is not recognised as the International Border by either India or Pakistan. In exchange for Pakistan accepting Indian sovereignty over the portion of Jammu and Kashmir on India's side of the Line of Control (LoC), India would have to recognise Pakistan's sovereignty over Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Both sides would then give up their claims to Kashmir's other half, and the ceasefire line would become the International Border. The inhabitants of Jammu and Kashmir, however, would be permitted to travel freely to the other side. 3. Self-governance without independence Musharraf was ready to give up what Pakistan has long argued for in favour of a higher degree of autonomy. Pakistan has long supported what it refers to as "Kashmiri self-determination." Vajpayee would probably not object too much to this agreement condition because Article 370 of the Indian Constitution already grants J&K autonomy. The repeal of Article 370, one of the BJP's fundamental ideological tenets, would have had to be conceded, but it would also have ended Pakistani assistance for militants in Kashmir who were in favour of independence. 4. A joint supervision mechanism in Jammu and Kashmir involving India, Pakistan and Kashmir. Musharraf would have had a better chance of persuading Pakistanis at home to support a prospective Musharraf-Vajpayee pact if he had chosen to involve local Kashmiri leadership in the supervisory system. Even though a draft resolution was prepared for signing, Musharraf claimed that the Indian side had broken the agreement years after the summit's failure. At a 2004 event, Musharraf remarked, "I was told that the Indian Cabinet had refused to give its nod." However, one account claims that Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the separatist leader, was the only one to become a hurdle in the peace agreement. "He (Geelani) described President Musharraf's four-point plan as vague, and he attacked the president's stance on the importance of UNSC resolutions to Kashmir," Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri wrote in his book, Neither a Hawk Nor a Dove. Pakistan's State-sponsored terrorism in Kashmir Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf admitted in the year 2015 that Pakistan supported and trained groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in 1990s to carry out militancy in Kashmir. Also watch | Former President Pervez Musharraf's last rites to be held in Pakistan “In the 1990s, the freedom struggle began in Kashmir. At that time, Lashkar-e-Taiba and 11 or 12 other organisations were formed. We supported them and trained them as they were fighting in Kashmir at the cost of their lives,” Musharraf said in an interview to Dunya News in 2015. Regarding the actions taken against Hafiz Saeed and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi of the LeT, the former army chief while replying to a question claimed that Saeed and Lakhvi benefited from the status of heroes at the time. “The Kashmiri freedom fighters including Hafiz Saeed and Lakhvi were our heroes at that time. Later on, religious militancy turned into terrorism. Now they (referring to militants in Pakistan) are killing their own people here and this should be controlled and stopped,” he said. To a question whether Saeed and Lakhvi should also be “controlled and stopped”, Musharraf said, “No comments.” He said that "religious militancy," which attracted terrorists from all over the world to battle Soviet forces, was established by Pakistan. He added, in 1979 Pakistan was in favour of religious militancy. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Pervez Musharraf and his chequered relationship with India: A look back

Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi raised the issue of Kashmir during his meeting with UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistans-fate-hangs-in-balance-as-fatf-plenary-starts-today-in-paris-280888">Pakistan's fate hangs in the balance as FATF plenary kicks off today in Paris&nbsp;</a>

Qureshi asked the UN chief to step in and mediate the dispute between India and Pakistan, however, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-position-has-not-changed-mea-rejects-mediation-offer-by-un-secretary-general-on-kashmir-280993">India</a>&nbsp;has outrightly rejected any scope of third-party mediation.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar emphasised that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and that talks should focus on Pakistan vacating territories it has&nbsp;illegally occupied.

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Qureshi also asked the UN chief to strengthen the UN military monitors on either side of the line of control.&nbsp;In response, Guterres re-affirmed that the UN position on Kashmir was based on the United Nations charter.

He said that he was open to mediating the dispute if both sides demanded his intervention.

Guterres is scheduled to attend a UN conference for Afghan refugees and also visit the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../latest-south-asia-news-united-nations-general- secretary-antonio-guterres-will-visit-pakistan-on-sunday-280009">Kartarpur Sahib shrine</a>.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is scheduled to meet the UN chief later today. 
&nbsp;

Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi raised the issue of Kashmir during his meeting with UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres. Also read: Pakistan's fate hangs in the balance as FATF plenary kicks off today in Paris Qureshi asked the UN chief to step in and mediate the dispute between India and Pakistan, however, India has outrightly rejected any scope of third-party mediation.

Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi raised the issue of Kashmir during his meeting with UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres. Also read: Pakistan's fate hangs in the balance as FATF plenary kicks off today in Paris Qureshi asked the UN chief to step in and mediate the dispute between India and Pakistan, however, India has outrightly rejected any scope of third-party mediation. External affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar emphasised that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and that talks should focus on Pakistan vacating territories it has illegally occupied. × Qureshi also asked the UN chief to strengthen the UN military monitors on either side of the line of control. In response, Guterres re-affirmed that the UN position on Kashmir was based on the United Nations charter. He said that he was open to mediating the dispute if both sides demanded his intervention. Guterres is scheduled to attend a UN conference for Afghan refugees and also visit the Kartarpur Sahib shrine. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is scheduled to meet the UN chief later today.

Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi rakes up Kashmir with UN chief

The world we live in is based on consensus. The world community agrees on certain fundamental things like history, or in this case, maps.

But Google seems to disagree.

If you are using <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/new-map-of-india-released-with-union-territories-of-jammu-and-kashmir-ladakh-259556">Google maps in India</a>, you'll see that the whole of Kashmir is marked as Indian territory. But the moment you leave the country, your map will also change.

For the global audience, Kashmir is marked with a dotted line which supposed to indicate that Kashmir is a disputed region.

As for India's position, it has always been clear, Kashmir is an integral part of the country.

But<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/google-maps-adds-navigation-mode-for-two-wheelers-in-india-25961"> Google's dual maps </a>cut directly at the root of India's territorial integrity.

There is no one yardstick that Google uses to draw maps. According to some Google employees, they take into account the opinion of diplomats and even company executives.

On multiple ocassions, Google had changed its border depictions after facing a backlash.

The move creates a lot of confusion for its users.

Take the example of a Russian citizen who is using Google maps in Moscow. For him, Kashmir will look like a disputed region on the map.

But the Russian government actually recognises Kashmir as an integral part of India.

Then there is also the issue of goodwill.

In January 2020, 98 per cent of all internet users in India were using Google. In the last financial year, their profits from India were up 16 per cent.

Unlike in other countries, Google has had a hassle-free experience in India.

But instead, Google has directed its goodwill towards China.

A country that has essentially banned the service within its borders.

China censors Google's search engine and eliminates all anti-government activity.

And yet, all google services including Google maps stay within the limits of what the Chinese government says.

The world we live in is based on consensus. The world community agrees on certain fundamental things like history, or in this case, maps. But Google seems to disagree.

The world we live in is based on consensus. The world community agrees on certain fundamental things like history, or in this case, maps. But Google seems to disagree. If you are using Google maps in India, you'll see that the whole of Kashmir is marked as Indian territory. But the moment you leave the country, your map will also change. For the global audience, Kashmir is marked with a dotted line which supposed to indicate that Kashmir is a disputed region. As for India's position, it has always been clear, Kashmir is an integral part of the country. But Google's dual maps cut directly at the root of India's territorial integrity. There is no one yardstick that Google uses to draw maps. According to some Google employees, they take into account the opinion of diplomats and even company executives. On multiple ocassions, Google had changed its border depictions after facing a backlash. The move creates a lot of confusion for its users. Take the example of a Russian citizen who is using Google maps in Moscow. For him, Kashmir will look like a disputed region on the map. But the Russian government actually recognises Kashmir as an integral part of India. Then there is also the issue of goodwill. In January 2020, 98 per cent of all internet users in India were using Google. In the last financial year, their profits from India were up 16 per cent. Unlike in other countries, Google has had a hassle-free experience in India. But instead, Google has directed its goodwill towards China. A country that has essentially banned the service within its borders. China censors Google's search engine and eliminates all anti-government activity. And yet, all google services including Google maps stay within the limits of what the Chinese government says.

Google Maps marks Kashmir's 'disputed' when seen from outside India

It's A Working Monday In Jammu & Kashmir As Restrictions Are Being Eased In A Phased Manner.

WION Gravitas: Jammu & Kashmir slowly but surely on its way to normalcy

Government offices and schools reopened in India's Jammu and Kashmir with a mixed response on Monday (August 19), after two weeks of lockdown. Several areas of Jammu and Kashmir were facing a curfew-like situation after the administration imposed restrictions to curb violence in the valley, in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government's decision to abrogate Article 370 and 35A, revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

Kashmir schools, offices reopen amid tight security

Watch Gravitas full segment and know what has been the most trending and important stories of the day. Watch this video to know more.

Watch: WION Gravitas, 09th August, 2019

Samjhauta Express Left For A Final Time From Lahore Yesterday. Here's the other side of Pakistan's diplomatic retaliation on the Kashmir dispute. It has suspended the Samjhauta express. This decision exposes Pakistan's hypocrisy. On the one hand, it wants to maintain people-to-people ties with India. On the other, it suspends train services. Palki sums up the development.

WION Gravitas: Kashmir Issue: The reality of Pakistan's 'retaliation'

Pakistan Wants To Go To ICJ To Dispute India's Kashmir Decision. Pakistan wants to take India to ICJ on the decision to abrogate Article 370. But experts say that ICJ can only advise Pakistan on the legal aspects but cannot take any action. In fact, ICJ does not have the jurisdiction to decide on the issue. Palki explains

WION Gravitas: Kashmir Dispute: Does ICJ have jurisdiction?

When Will China Decide Its Next Course Of Action On Kashmir Dispute? On #WionEdit, Palki analyses China's possible stance on the Kashmir dispute. Beijing is unlikely to decide its position on the issue till the visit of India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar gets over.

WION Edit: China likely to wait till S Jaishankar's visit to decide on Kashmir

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres may seek the option of talking to senior officials from India and Pakistan on the situation in Kashmir and will see how things can be improved on the ground, his spokesperson has said.

Guterres &quot;will talk to different officials if it helps to move the process along. That&#39;s something that he is looking into. Beyond that, I have nothing new to say about the issue,&quot; UN chief&#39;s deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters.

Haq made the remarks when he was asked at his daily press briefing about the situation in Kashmir and if Guterres has been able to understand the Kashmir dispute and would he be talking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to start a dialogue with Pakistan.

Reacting to Haq&#39;s comments, official sources in New Delhi said there is no change in India&#39;s position on addressing all issues between India and Pakistan bilaterally.&nbsp;

India has been maintaining that there is no role for any third party intervention.

When asked if there is a timeline as to when the UN chief will talk to leaders from the two countries, Haq said as with any number of long-running situations, there are &quot;a lot of complex issues&quot; that need to be examined.

The UN chief &quot;will look into the issue, and certainly, he will try to see what can be done to improve the situation on the ground,&quot; Haq said.

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had repeatedly expressed deep concern about the deteriorating situation along the Line of Control in Kashmir and called on all those involved to prioritise the restoration of calm and stability in order to prevent any further escalation of tensions and loss of lives.

Ban had called for the two nations to resolve their difference bilaterally, saying that his good offices were available to India and Pakistan if &quot;accepted by both sides&quot;. &nbsp;

Meanwhile, Junaid Qureshi, son of Kashmiri separatist leader Hashim Qureshi, said that Gilgit-Baltistan region is an integral part of Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan has no right to divide the state, ANI reported.

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Geneva: Kashmiri writer and Director, European Foundation for South Asian Studies Junaid Qureshi tells UN that J&amp;K is not for sale. <a href="https://t.co/F0oCJJRvhN">pic.twitter.com/F0oCJJRvhN</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/840198446455914496">March 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Gilgit Baltistan is integral part of J&amp;K.Pak has no right to divide J&amp;K furthr&amp;sell its resources undr false rubric of infra dvlpmt:JQureshi <a href="https://t.co/QS75QRMy3V">pic.twitter.com/QS75QRMy3V</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/840198243321552896">March 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Geneva: I strongly reject construction of this (CPEC) corridor of exploitation: Junaid Qureshi, Kashmiri writer &amp; Director, EFSAS tells UN <a href="https://t.co/cOdfozps2g">pic.twitter.com/cOdfozps2g</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/840196997663604736">March 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Junaid Qureshi also rejected the construction of CPEC corridor along the line of control through Gilgit-Baltistan region.

(PTI and agencies)

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India has been maintaining that there is no role for any third party intervention

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres may seek the option of talking to senior officials from India and Pakistan on the situation in Kashmir and will see how things can be improved on the ground, his spokesperson has said. Guterres "will talk to different officials if it helps to move the process along. That's something that he is looking into. Beyond that, I have nothing new to say about the issue," UN chief's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters. Haq made the remarks when he was asked at his daily press briefing about the situation in Kashmir and if Guterres has been able to understand the Kashmir dispute and would he be talking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to start a dialogue with Pakistan. Reacting to Haq's comments, official sources in New Delhi said there is no change in India's position on addressing all issues between India and Pakistan bilaterally. India has been maintaining that there is no role for any third party intervention. When asked if there is a timeline as to when the UN chief will talk to leaders from the two countries, Haq said as with any number of long-running situations, there are "a lot of complex issues" that need to be examined. The UN chief "will look into the issue, and certainly, he will try to see what can be done to improve the situation on the ground," Haq said. Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had repeatedly expressed deep concern about the deteriorating situation along the Line of Control in Kashmir and called on all those involved to prioritise the restoration of calm and stability in order to prevent any further escalation of tensions and loss of lives. Ban had called for the two nations to resolve their difference bilaterally, saying that his good offices were available to India and Pakistan if "accepted by both sides". Meanwhile, Junaid Qureshi, son of Kashmiri separatist leader Hashim Qureshi, said that Gilgit-Baltistan region is an integral part of Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan has no right to divide the state, ANI reported. Geneva: Kashmiri writer and Director, European Foundation for South Asian Studies Junaid Qureshi tells UN that J&K is not for sale. pic.twitter.com/F0oCJJRvhN — ANI (@ANI_news) March 10, 2017 × Gilgit Baltistan is integral part of J&K.Pak has no right to divide J&K furthr&sell its resources undr false rubric of infra dvlpmt:JQureshi pic.twitter.com/QS75QRMy3V — ANI (@ANI_news) March 10, 2017 × Geneva: I strongly reject construction of this (CPEC) corridor of exploitation: Junaid Qureshi, Kashmiri writer & Director, EFSAS tells UN pic.twitter.com/cOdfozps2g — ANI (@ANI_news) March 10, 2017 × Junaid Qureshi also rejected the construction of CPEC corridor along the line of control through Gilgit-Baltistan region. (PTI and agencies)

UN chief Antonio Guterres may speak to India, Pakistan over 'complex issues' in Kashmir

Residents in Pakistan-administered Kashmir are racing to build underground bunkers for the first time since the 1990s, frightened by what they say is the worst cross-border violence since a ceasefire was agreed in 2003.

Months of tension between India and Pakistan have erupted into shellings and gunfire across the disputed Kashmir frontier, claiming the lives of dozens of people, including civilians.&nbsp;

People in Pakistan-administered Kashmir&#39;s&nbsp;Neelum Valley say the attacks come once or twice a week, and they never know when they might have to dive for cover.

Chand Bibi has concrete and steel rods waiting to be transformed into an underground bunker where her terrified family can take shelter as the monstrous boom of shelling reawakens old nightmares.

&quot;You are talking about fear,&quot; the 62-year-old says. &quot;We are near to dying at the moment we hear the boom.

&quot;The voice of the guns is horrible.&quot;

When it comes, Bibi and her relatives pile blankets, quilts and clothes on top of their children to muffle the noise and their panic.&nbsp;

Soon the extended family of about 20 people will be able to flee underground to the bunker they have paid 300,000 Pakistani rupees ($3,000) to build -- just under the cost of constructing a mud house in the valley, where the average worker makes around 800 rupees per day.

Sultan Ahmed is spending even more: up to 500,000 rupees for a three metre by four metre (10 foot by 14 foot) space reinforced by more than 20 centimetres (eight inches) of concrete, fortified with steel rods, and buried under nearly a metre of soil.&nbsp;

Some 25 people will be able to take shelter inside the bunker once it is completed, the 47-year-old teacher says.Local mason Ghulam Hussain tells AFP his business has increased because of the renewed violence, as he packs his tools after finishing a bunker at one house to rush to another and start again.

Around half a million people live within range of Indian fire along the Pakistani side of the Line of Control, the de facto border that has divided the Himalayan region since 2003, according to Farooq Haider Khan, leader of Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

He says the government plans to build &quot;community bunkers&quot;.&nbsp;

Kashmir is one of the world&#39;s most dangerous flashpoints, bitterly divided between nuclear rivals India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947 but claimed in full by both.

They have already fought two wars over the mountainous region, but years of relative peace after the 2003 ceasefire were shattered in September, after India blamed Pakistani militants for a raid on an army base that killed 19 soldiers.

India said it had responded by carrying out &quot;surgical strikes&quot; across the heavily militarised border, sparking a furious reaction from Islamabad, which denied the strikes took place.

On Tuesday armed militants stormed a major Indian army base near the frontier with Pakistan, killing seven soldiers in the most audacious such attack since the September raid.&nbsp;

The fear spiralling on the Pakistani side is not only consuming residents -- tourism to the scenic Neelum Valley has plummeted this year, local official Sardar Abdul Waheed tells AFP.&nbsp;

&quot;I am nervous that if this situation continues my whole investment will be sunk,&quot; says Zulfiqar Ali, who built a guesthouse in the valley last year.

Cross-border firing hit a civilian bus there on November 23, killing at least nine people, one of the highest one-day tolls since the latest unrest began.&nbsp;

In response authorities shut down the main road connecting the region&#39;s&nbsp;capital of Muzaffarabad with the valley, effectively sealing it off from the rest of Pakistan with no word when it will be reopened.&nbsp;

Before the valley was closed, many residents told AFP they could not afford to leave and had nowhere to go.&nbsp;Others, however, said they refused to be driven away.&nbsp;

Those who cannot pay the high cost of transporting bunker materials from Kashmir&#39;s main cities to the remote valley are fortifying their homes in whatever way they can.&nbsp;

&quot;We are just placing sandbags to reinforce the front walls,&quot; says 65-year-old widow Zarina Bibi, head of a family of 15.&nbsp;

&quot;We are in a state of fear all the time. We don&#39;t know when the Indian troops will start shelling again.&quot;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(AFP)

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The region's chief says the government plans to build 'community bunkers' amid escalation of cross-border firing between Indian and Pakistan

Residents in Pakistan-administered Kashmir are racing to build underground bunkers for the first time since the 1990s, frightened by what they say is the worst cross-border violence since a ceasefire was agreed in 2003. Months of tension between India and Pakistan have erupted into shellings and gunfire across the disputed Kashmir frontier, claiming the lives of dozens of people, including civilians. People in Pakistan-administered Kashmir's Neelum Valley say the attacks come once or twice a week, and they never know when they might have to dive for cover. Chand Bibi has concrete and steel rods waiting to be transformed into an underground bunker where her terrified family can take shelter as the monstrous boom of shelling reawakens old nightmares. "You are talking about fear," the 62-year-old says. "We are near to dying at the moment we hear the boom. "The voice of the guns is horrible." When it comes, Bibi and her relatives pile blankets, quilts and clothes on top of their children to muffle the noise and their panic. Soon the extended family of about 20 people will be able to flee underground to the bunker they have paid 300,000 Pakistani rupees ($3,000) to build -- just under the cost of constructing a mud house in the valley, where the average worker makes around 800 rupees per day. Sultan Ahmed is spending even more: up to 500,000 rupees for a three metre by four metre (10 foot by 14 foot) space reinforced by more than 20 centimetres (eight inches) of concrete, fortified with steel rods, and buried under nearly a metre of soil. Some 25 people will be able to take shelter inside the bunker once it is completed, the 47-year-old teacher says.Local mason Ghulam Hussain tells AFP his business has increased because of the renewed violence, as he packs his tools after finishing a bunker at one house to rush to another and start again. Around half a million people live within range of Indian fire along the Pakistani side of the Line of Control, the de facto border that has divided the Himalayan region since 2003, according to Farooq Haider Khan, leader of Pakistan-administered Kashmir. He says the government plans to build "community bunkers". Kashmir is one of the world's most dangerous flashpoints, bitterly divided between nuclear rivals India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947 but claimed in full by both. They have already fought two wars over the mountainous region, but years of relative peace after the 2003 ceasefire were shattered in September, after India blamed Pakistani militants for a raid on an army base that killed 19 soldiers. India said it had responded by carrying out "surgical strikes" across the heavily militarised border, sparking a furious reaction from Islamabad, which denied the strikes took place. On Tuesday armed militants stormed a major Indian army base near the frontier with Pakistan, killing seven soldiers in the most audacious such attack since the September raid. The fear spiralling on the Pakistani side is not only consuming residents -- tourism to the scenic Neelum Valley has plummeted this year, local official Sardar Abdul Waheed tells AFP. "I am nervous that if this situation continues my whole investment will be sunk," says Zulfiqar Ali, who built a guesthouse in the valley last year. Cross-border firing hit a civilian bus there on November 23, killing at least nine people, one of the highest one-day tolls since the latest unrest began. In response authorities shut down the main road connecting the region's capital of Muzaffarabad with the valley, effectively sealing it off from the rest of Pakistan with no word when it will be reopened. Before the valley was closed, many residents told AFP they could not afford to leave and had nowhere to go. Others, however, said they refused to be driven away. Those who cannot pay the high cost of transporting bunker materials from Kashmir's main cities to the remote valley are fortifying their homes in whatever way they can. "We are just placing sandbags to reinforce the front walls," says 65-year-old widow Zarina Bibi, head of a family of 15. "We are in a state of fear all the time. We don't know when the Indian troops will start shelling again." (AFP)

Rush to build bunkers in Pakistan-administered Kashmir as fear grows

As tensions continue to mount between India and Pakistan in the wake of September 18 terror attack on an Indian army base in Uri sector of Kashmir, China has assured unequivocal support to Pakistan against &quot;foreign aggression&rdquo;, Pakistan daily Dawn has reported.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;In case of any [foreign] aggression our country will extend its full support to Pakistan,&rdquo; consul general of China in Pakistan city of &nbsp;Lahore,Yu Boren, was quoted as saying by Punjab chief minister&#39;s office on Friday. &nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
Beijing&#39;s top diplomat conveyed the message during a meeting with Punjab&nbsp;chief minister Shahbaz Sharif.&nbsp; 
 
According to press release issued by the chief minister&#39;s office, &nbsp;China also supports Pakistan&#39;s stance on Kashmir dispute.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We are and will be siding with Pakistan on the Kashmir issue. There is no justification for atrocities on unarmed Kashmiris in (India)-held Kashmir and the Kashmir dispute should be solved in accordance with aspirations of the Kashmiris,&quot; Yu said, according to the report.&nbsp; 
 
The $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic border (CPEC) was another key issue discussed during the meet. According to the CM office, CPEC passes through a part of the disputed region in India because of which India has raised objections over the project.&nbsp; 
 
The Uri attack has triggered a fresh war of words between India and Pakistan. While India has blamed Pakistan for the militant attack on the army base in Uri that killed at least 18 Indian soldiers, Pakistan, denied the allegations and lashed out at India for pinning the blame without any proper investigation.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from PTI)

The remark by a top Beijing diplomat comes amid mounting tensions between India, Pakistan after the Uri attack

As tensions continue to mount between India and Pakistan in the wake of September 18 terror attack on an Indian army base in Uri sector of Kashmir, China has assured unequivocal support to Pakistan against "foreign aggression”, Pakistan daily Dawn has reported. “In case of any [foreign] aggression our country will extend its full support to Pakistan,” consul general of China in Pakistan city of Lahore,Yu Boren, was quoted as saying by Punjab chief minister's office on Friday. Beijing's top diplomat conveyed the message during a meeting with Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif. According to press release issued by the chief minister's office, China also supports Pakistan's stance on Kashmir dispute. "We are and will be siding with Pakistan on the Kashmir issue. There is no justification for atrocities on unarmed Kashmiris in (India)-held Kashmir and the Kashmir dispute should be solved in accordance with aspirations of the Kashmiris," Yu said, according to the report. The $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic border (CPEC) was another key issue discussed during the meet. According to the CM office, CPEC passes through a part of the disputed region in India because of which India has raised objections over the project. The Uri attack has triggered a fresh war of words between India and Pakistan. While India has blamed Pakistan for the militant attack on the army base in Uri that killed at least 18 Indian soldiers, Pakistan, denied the allegations and lashed out at India for pinning the blame without any proper investigation. (WION with inputs from PTI)

China assures Pakistan of support against 'foreign aggression'

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has raised the Kashmir issue with almost every world leader he has held talks with on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session, but his efforts to internationalise the dispute with India appeared to have gained no traction. 
 
Sharif raised the issue with the leaders of the US, the UK, Japan and Turkey and sought their intervention in resolving the matter. He met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Turkey&#39;s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan here yesterday. 
 
&quot;PM Sharif briefed Japanese PM about the grave turn that the situation in occupied Kashmir is taking. Reminded him about UNSC resolutions,&quot; Pakistan&#39;s envoy to the UN Maleeha Lodhi tweeted. 
 
&quot;PM Nawaz Sharif also apprised his Japanese counterpart of the human rights violations being committed by Indian occupation forces in Kashmir,&quot; Lodhi said in another tweet. 
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<h5>According to a readout of his meeting with Kerry, Sharif told him more than 107 people have been &#39;assassinated&#39;&nbsp;in Kashmir, thousands injured and the &#39;worst human rights violations are being committed at the state level&#39;</h5>
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Erdogan and Sharif &quot;agreed that Organisation of Islamic Cooperation on Human Rights should send a fact-finding mission&quot; to Kashmir, Lodhi said. 
 
On Monday, Sharif held bilateral talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry and UK Prime Minister Theresa May. 
 
According to a readout of his meeting with Kerry, Sharif told him more than 107 people have been &quot;assassinated&quot; in Kashmir, thousands injured and the &quot;worst human rights violations are being committed at the state level.&quot; 
 
&quot;I still remember President (Bill) Clinton&#39;s promise that US will play its role to help out in resolving bilateral disputes and issues between Pakistan and India,&quot; Sharif said, according to the release. 
 
&quot;I expect US Administration and Secretary Kerry to use his good offices to help in resolving bilateral issues between Pakistan and India,&quot; he added. 
 
In his meeting with May, Sharif urged her to play a role in convincing India to stop the use of force against the people of the region. 
 
He said Pakistan&#39;s support for Kashmiri people &quot;in their legitimate struggle for self-determination and its commitment to the Kashmir cause are non-negotiable.&quot; 
 
However, Sharif&#39;s repeated calls to the UN to help resolve the Kashmir dispute appeared to be gaining little traction as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon made no reference to Kashmir in his final speech as UN chief to the UNGA. 
 
At the opening session of the General Debate yesterday, Ban touched upon a cross-section of global issues including the Syrian crisis, the Palestinian issue, the refugee and migrant movements and tension in the Korean Peninsula. 
 
Kashmir will be the focal point of Sharif&#39;s address to the UN General Assembly today. 
 
Tensions have heightened between India and Pakistan in the wake of the attack by heavily-armed militants, suspected to be from Pakistan, on an army base in Uri, Kashmir in which 18 soldiers died. 
 
Ban has repeatedly said his &quot;good offices&quot; are available to help resolve the Kashmir dispute only if both India and Pakistan request for it, a clear indication that the issue is bilateral and should be solved by the two countries only. 
 
(PTI)&nbsp;

It will also be the focal point of Nawaz Sharif's address to the UN General Assembly today

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has raised the Kashmir issue with almost every world leader he has held talks with on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session, but his efforts to internationalise the dispute with India appeared to have gained no traction. Sharif raised the issue with the leaders of the US, the UK, Japan and Turkey and sought their intervention in resolving the matter. He met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan here yesterday. "PM Sharif briefed Japanese PM about the grave turn that the situation in occupied Kashmir is taking. Reminded him about UNSC resolutions," Pakistan's envoy to the UN Maleeha Lodhi tweeted. "PM Nawaz Sharif also apprised his Japanese counterpart of the human rights violations being committed by Indian occupation forces in Kashmir," Lodhi said in another tweet. According to a readout of his meeting with Kerry, Sharif told him more than 107 people have been 'assassinated' in Kashmir, thousands injured and the 'worst human rights violations are being committed at the state level' Erdogan and Sharif "agreed that Organisation of Islamic Cooperation on Human Rights should send a fact-finding mission" to Kashmir, Lodhi said. On Monday, Sharif held bilateral talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry and UK Prime Minister Theresa May. According to a readout of his meeting with Kerry, Sharif told him more than 107 people have been "assassinated" in Kashmir, thousands injured and the "worst human rights violations are being committed at the state level." "I still remember President (Bill) Clinton's promise that US will play its role to help out in resolving bilateral disputes and issues between Pakistan and India," Sharif said, according to the release. "I expect US Administration and Secretary Kerry to use his good offices to help in resolving bilateral issues between Pakistan and India," he added. In his meeting with May, Sharif urged her to play a role in convincing India to stop the use of force against the people of the region. He said Pakistan's support for Kashmiri people "in their legitimate struggle for self-determination and its commitment to the Kashmir cause are non-negotiable." However, Sharif's repeated calls to the UN to help resolve the Kashmir dispute appeared to be gaining little traction as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon made no reference to Kashmir in his final speech as UN chief to the UNGA. At the opening session of the General Debate yesterday, Ban touched upon a cross-section of global issues including the Syrian crisis, the Palestinian issue, the refugee and migrant movements and tension in the Korean Peninsula. Kashmir will be the focal point of Sharif's address to the UN General Assembly today. Tensions have heightened between India and Pakistan in the wake of the attack by heavily-armed militants, suspected to be from Pakistan, on an army base in Uri, Kashmir in which 18 soldiers died. Ban has repeatedly said his "good offices" are available to help resolve the Kashmir dispute only if both India and Pakistan request for it, a clear indication that the issue is bilateral and should be solved by the two countries only. (PTI)

Pakistan PM Sharif raises Kashmir issue with world leaders on sidelines of UN meet

While celebrating the 70th Independence Day, Pakistani leaders affirmed solidarity towards pro-Pakistani secessionist elements in Kashmir. Abdul Basit, Pakistan&#39;s High Commissioner in New Delhi, who is known for his anti-India rhetoric went ahead and stated that this year&#39;s independence day has&nbsp;been dedicated to Kashmir. Pakistani leaders also made hostile remarks against India and alleged that the Indian security forces are violating human rights in Kashmir.&nbsp;

In the past when Pakistani leaders made false accusations about Indian atrocities in Jammu &amp; Kashmir, the Indian ministry of external affairs and Indian political leaders usually went defensive. However, this time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a tough stance and mentioned in his Independence Day speech from Red Fort about the freedom struggle of people of Balochistan, Gilgit, Baltistan and the residents of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK).&nbsp;

The Indian prime minister showed his concern about the cruelty perpetrated by the Pakistani army and security forces on the residents of POK and Balochistan. Narendra Modi, without mentioning names, also pointed out to the stark differences between India and Pakistan; India conveyed pain and grief when terrorists massacred school children in Peshawar, while they eulogized terrorists.&nbsp;

Modi&rsquo;s mention of Balochistan and the POK region, including Gilgit and Baltistan, is an intrepid shift in India&rsquo;s foreign policy. So far, India has never spoken a word against the mayhem perpetrated by Pakistan in the above-mentioned region. In the joint statement by Manmohan Singh and Yousaf Raza Gilani in 2009 at Sharm-el-Sheikh, both countries agreed to talk about Balochistan as Pakistan assured that its government possessed&nbsp;some credible information about terrorist activities in the province. In the long run, however, the statement did not actualise, and it has come to be seen as a diplomatic defeat for India. &nbsp; 
 
Whenever India produced conclusive evidence on the involvement of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in terrorist activities within India, particularly, in Jammu &amp; Kashmir, the Pakistani government always responded by falsely alleging that India is giving assistance to the Baloch insurgents.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Pakistan also tried to curb the rising Indian influence in Afghanistan by asserting that Indian consulates are supporting the Baloch rebellion. A few months back, the Pakistani security forces caught an innocent Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav and alleged that he was an agent of Research &amp; Analysis Wing (R&amp;AW). Jadhav was accused of fomenting trouble in Balochistan. However, Pakistani security agencies neither gave consular access nor could provide any proof against Jadhav.&nbsp;

The mineral rich Balochistan is the largest and poorest province, which was forcibly merged with Pakistan. Khan of Kalat wanted to stay independent but Pakistani army attacked Balochistan in 1948, and after some time it was incorporated into Pakistan against the wishes of the people of Balochistan. Hence, the insurgency in Balochistan is continuing since 1948.&nbsp;

In 1973 six divisions of Pakistani army were deployed to crush a rebellion of more than 10000 Balochis of different revolutionary organizations. In the process, more than 5000 Balochis and 3000 Pakistani soldiers were killed.&nbsp;

Pakistani army used heavy weapons and bombs to curb the uprising. Balochis were revolting against the economic exploitation by the Punjabi-dominated Pakistan government. Balochis were also resisting the sinister move of the Pakistani government to settle Punjabis in the Balochistan province with the intention of changing the demography of the state.&nbsp;

Pakistan&#39;s government is using Balochistan as a colony and exploiting its mineral wealth. In 2006, the Pakistani army had to launch a massive operation to curb Baloch insurgency, in which the chief of powerful Bugti tribe Nawab Akbar Bugti was killed. It is ridiculous that now Pakistani leaders condemn Indian security forces for the use of pellet guns in Kashmir while Pakistani army used fighter jets and heavy artillery in Balochistan.

There are several Baloch separatist organizations, including the Balochistan Liberation Army, the Balochistan Liberation Front, the Baloch Republican Army, and the United Baloch Army. All these organisations have been working for an independent Balochistan. Other than these outfits, the public of Balochistan is totally against Punjabi domination and wants to secede. India, therefore, needs to give them moral and diplomatic support. India should provide them recognition in the international arena and give them a forum so that they can expose the atrocities, exploitation and human right violations of Pakistani security forces in Balochistan.&nbsp;

It will be a hard-hitting lesson for Pakistan. So far it was internationalizing Kashmir issue and India was only rebutting its allegations. Now India will also be speaking out against Pakistani mayhem in Balochistan and the POK region.&nbsp;

Kashmiri resistance cannot survive without external assistance. Balochis are, however, so fed up with the exploitation of the Pakistani government that they do not require any material assistance from India.

India should also keep Iran&#39;s reaction within consideration as the latter is against an independent Balochistan. &nbsp;

The people of Balochistan are against USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), as it will neither benefit Balochistan nor its people. China is also reluctant to finance such a huge amount if the Pakistani government fail to control the insurgents in Balochistan. &nbsp;Modi&rsquo;s reference to Balochistan and POK is also a message to China as CPEC has to pass through both the regions.&nbsp;

India must understand that there cannot be friendly relations with Pakistan. Firstly, it was created on the theory of hate. Secondly, the Pakistani army enjoys several advantages trumpeting the danger of Pakistan from India. Hence, it will never allow the civilian government to initiate cordial relations with its eastern neighbor. &nbsp;General Raheel Sharif, Pakistan&#39;s army chief, who lost his elder brother Major Shabbir Sharif in 1971 war with India is personally against any amiable relation with India. &nbsp;

Pakistan has waged a low-intensity war against India; dispersal of terrorism has become the main organ of its foreign policy. The despicable ISI is running several terrorist camps in various parts of the country, particularly, in POK, Waziristan, and several other areas.&nbsp;

Indian security forces killed and nabbed several Pakistanis when they were carrying out terrorist activities in India. But Pakistan instead of impeding the nefarious activities of rogue ISI always pretended that these terrorists are non-state actors; they are involved in terrorist activities because of Islamic fervor, and the government has no control over them.&nbsp;

Pakistani masses are delighted when an ISI-trained terrorist carry out terrorist activities in India. They consider it as the victory of Pakistan.

India must chalk out a long-term plan so that Pakistan gets a lesson similar to the war of 1971. In this connection, the powerful speech of Ajit Doval, India&#39;s national security advisor, at SASTRA University in 2014 is important. He warned Pakistan, &quot;You can do one Mumbai, you may lose Balochistan&quot;.&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

"You can do one Mumbai, you may lose Balochistan" is the new motto of India's intrepid foreign policy towards Pakistan

While celebrating the 70th Independence Day, Pakistani leaders affirmed solidarity towards pro-Pakistani secessionist elements in Kashmir. Abdul Basit, Pakistan's High Commissioner in New Delhi, who is known for his anti-India rhetoric went ahead and stated that this year's independence day has been dedicated to Kashmir. Pakistani leaders also made hostile remarks against India and alleged that the Indian security forces are violating human rights in Kashmir. In the past when Pakistani leaders made false accusations about Indian atrocities in Jammu & Kashmir, the Indian ministry of external affairs and Indian political leaders usually went defensive. However, this time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a tough stance and mentioned in his Independence Day speech from Red Fort about the freedom struggle of people of Balochistan, Gilgit, Baltistan and the residents of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK). The Indian prime minister showed his concern about the cruelty perpetrated by the Pakistani army and security forces on the residents of POK and Balochistan. Narendra Modi, without mentioning names, also pointed out to the stark differences between India and Pakistan; India conveyed pain and grief when terrorists massacred school children in Peshawar, while they eulogized terrorists. Modi’s mention of Balochistan and the POK region, including Gilgit and Baltistan, is an intrepid shift in India’s foreign policy. So far, India has never spoken a word against the mayhem perpetrated by Pakistan in the above-mentioned region. In the joint statement by Manmohan Singh and Yousaf Raza Gilani in 2009 at Sharm-el-Sheikh, both countries agreed to talk about Balochistan as Pakistan assured that its government possessed some credible information about terrorist activities in the province. In the long run, however, the statement did not actualise, and it has come to be seen as a diplomatic defeat for India. Whenever India produced conclusive evidence on the involvement of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in terrorist activities within India, particularly, in Jammu & Kashmir, the Pakistani government always responded by falsely alleging that India is giving assistance to the Baloch insurgents. Pakistan also tried to curb the rising Indian influence in Afghanistan by asserting that Indian consulates are supporting the Baloch rebellion. A few months back, the Pakistani security forces caught an innocent Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav and alleged that he was an agent of Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW). Jadhav was accused of fomenting trouble in Balochistan. However, Pakistani security agencies neither gave consular access nor could provide any proof against Jadhav. The mineral rich Balochistan is the largest and poorest province, which was forcibly merged with Pakistan. Khan of Kalat wanted to stay independent but Pakistani army attacked Balochistan in 1948, and after some time it was incorporated into Pakistan against the wishes of the people of Balochistan. Hence, the insurgency in Balochistan is continuing since 1948. In 1973 six divisions of Pakistani army were deployed to crush a rebellion of more than 10000 Balochis of different revolutionary organizations. In the process, more than 5000 Balochis and 3000 Pakistani soldiers were killed. Pakistani army used heavy weapons and bombs to curb the uprising. Balochis were revolting against the economic exploitation by the Punjabi-dominated Pakistan government. Balochis were also resisting the sinister move of the Pakistani government to settle Punjabis in the Balochistan province with the intention of changing the demography of the state. Pakistan's government is using Balochistan as a colony and exploiting its mineral wealth. In 2006, the Pakistani army had to launch a massive operation to curb Baloch insurgency, in which the chief of powerful Bugti tribe Nawab Akbar Bugti was killed. It is ridiculous that now Pakistani leaders condemn Indian security forces for the use of pellet guns in Kashmir while Pakistani army used fighter jets and heavy artillery in Balochistan. There are several Baloch separatist organizations, including the Balochistan Liberation Army, the Balochistan Liberation Front, the Baloch Republican Army, and the United Baloch Army. All these organisations have been working for an independent Balochistan. Other than these outfits, the public of Balochistan is totally against Punjabi domination and wants to secede. India, therefore, needs to give them moral and diplomatic support. India should provide them recognition in the international arena and give them a forum so that they can expose the atrocities, exploitation and human right violations of Pakistani security forces in Balochistan. It will be a hard-hitting lesson for Pakistan. So far it was internationalizing Kashmir issue and India was only rebutting its allegations. Now India will also be speaking out against Pakistani mayhem in Balochistan and the POK region. Kashmiri resistance cannot survive without external assistance. Balochis are, however, so fed up with the exploitation of the Pakistani government that they do not require any material assistance from India. India should also keep Iran's reaction within consideration as the latter is against an independent Balochistan. The people of Balochistan are against USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), as it will neither benefit Balochistan nor its people. China is also reluctant to finance such a huge amount if the Pakistani government fail to control the insurgents in Balochistan. Modi’s reference to Balochistan and POK is also a message to China as CPEC has to pass through both the regions. India must understand that there cannot be friendly relations with Pakistan. Firstly, it was created on the theory of hate. Secondly, the Pakistani army enjoys several advantages trumpeting the danger of Pakistan from India. Hence, it will never allow the civilian government to initiate cordial relations with its eastern neighbor. General Raheel Sharif, Pakistan's army chief, who lost his elder brother Major Shabbir Sharif in 1971 war with India is personally against any amiable relation with India. Pakistan has waged a low-intensity war against India; dispersal of terrorism has become the main organ of its foreign policy. The despicable ISI is running several terrorist camps in various parts of the country, particularly, in POK, Waziristan, and several other areas. Indian security forces killed and nabbed several Pakistanis when they were carrying out terrorist activities in India. But Pakistan instead of impeding the nefarious activities of rogue ISI always pretended that these terrorists are non-state actors; they are involved in terrorist activities because of Islamic fervor, and the government has no control over them. Pakistani masses are delighted when an ISI-trained terrorist carry out terrorist activities in India. They consider it as the victory of Pakistan. India must chalk out a long-term plan so that Pakistan gets a lesson similar to the war of 1971. In this connection, the powerful speech of Ajit Doval, India's national security advisor, at SASTRA University in 2014 is important. He warned Pakistan, "You can do one Mumbai, you may lose Balochistan".

India should answer Pakistan?s intervention in Kashmir with involvement in Balochistan

There is more than a month of deafening official silence over Kashmir. The silence from the Prime Minister&#39;s Office prevailed despite the killings of more than 66 unarmed civilians. Pellet attacks made hundreds blind and&nbsp;thousands of protesters were injured and incarcerated. Recently,&nbsp;Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about how &ldquo;Every Indian love Kashmir&rdquo; while offering no concrete proposal to assuage&nbsp;the tension in the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp;

While a Hindu nationalist himself, Modi&#39;s stance, in fact, is in continuity with erstwhile dominant secular nationalists who too argued that Kashmir is an integral part of the country. Over the years, nationalists of all kinds have argued that normalcy and peace would return only with the resigned acceptance by Kashmiris of the status quo.&nbsp;

Kashmiris reject this assumption and are demanding freedom from India.

The disconnect between India and Kashmir could not be starker. The current phase of uprising should be understood as part of the longer movement to secure the right to self-determination by Kashmiris since 1947.&nbsp; There has been&nbsp;an even longer struggle by disenfranchised Muslims who were demographically the majority but culturally and politically marginalised under Hindu Dogra rulers.

There is a proprietorial desire of Indians for Kashmir. It is hard to miss the repeated insistence that there won&rsquo;t be a compromise. Such attitude reflects cartographical fiction, sadistic obsession, compulsive dehumanisation, and cultivated ignorance that are integral to the idea and practice of patriarchal nation-state, that is, India.&nbsp;

Parts of the state are under Pakistan control and parts under China and, yet, any map that represents this de facto reality is deemed illegal in India.&nbsp;

Human rights abuses of Kashmiris, include torture, excessive force, enforced disappearance, rape, sexual violence, massacres and extra-judicial killings. The political right to self-determination is denied despite the promise of a plebiscite. These are the faces of &ldquo;love&rdquo; that Kashmiris get.&nbsp;

Various civil society organisations and international human rights bodies have highlighted the fact that sadistic state violence goes unpunished; none of the safeguards of laws work, allowing impunity to armed forces work. An emergency law, such as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act continues without a break in Kashmir for more than a quarter of a century. In this time, not a single permission has been granted by Ministry of Home Affairs or Ministry of Defence for the prosecution of an armed personnel under this Act. Such omission speaks volumes about the sad state of democratic accountability in the state.&nbsp;

Most Indians remain unaware of the level of systemic and everyday violence Kashmiris have to live under because the national media behaves like nationalist media and, largely, endorses the action of the armed forces. In the meantime the political class, right, left and centre, blame Pakistan for all the ills.

It is easy to dismiss the current uprising using clich?s of &ldquo;armed resistance by a few misguided youth&rdquo;, &ldquo;proxy war by Pakistan&rdquo;, &ldquo;self-interested separatists&rdquo;, &ldquo;Islamist extremism&rdquo;, &ldquo;Muslim separatism&rdquo;,&quot;terrorism&quot;, and so on. The resilient nature of the anti-India movement, however, makes it abundantly clear that it is popular resistance against colonial rule. Indians prefer the narrative of being a victim of colonisation, and never an oppressor themselves, and yet Indian rule in Kashmir is akin to the conventional form of colonialism.

Colonialism and colonisation involve systemic and structural dominance and subservience. It forces an asymmetrical relationship between the coloniser and the colonised. When a foreign power imposes a political rule, it gains control over the narratives through which the rule is perceived and represented.&nbsp;

A society subjected to an alien government experiences economic exploitation, cultural transformation, and militarisation. Development measures turn into means of control. The society is denied of rights and becomes subject to surveillance. The everyday epistemic and corporeal violence the society goes through become tangible in differential values that are accorded to human lives; clearly, the life of those with power carries more worth than others less privileged.

All these aspects of colonialism are evident when we look at Indian rule over Kashmiris.

The interpretative lens used to portray the territorial conflict in Kashmir significantly elides the question of how the conflict is experienced by Kashmiris. 
 
It is undeniable that both the states of Pakistan and India are occupying Kashmir. It is India, however, that has been most violently colonial in governing Kashmiri body politics as well as Kashmiri bodies through various mechanisms of control. Therefore, scholars and analysts from, and about, India, have to start asking difficult questions about colonialism, and the corollary of dehumanisation, that seems to have become integral to the idea of the nation-state of India.

The current uprising, like the armed insurgency of the 1990s or the popular protests of 2008, 2009 and 2010, may be crushed using brute force, exhaustion, and through divide and rule approach. However, the social and political behaviour of public makes it clear that there is no fear, leave alone love, of India amongst most Kashmiris. The dominant expression is of love for azaadi that is freedom from and not within India.&nbsp;

There is not denying that there are serious differences along religious, regional and ethnic lines amongst people of Jammu and Kashmir over the future &ndash; should it be part of India, part of Pakistan or independent state &ndash; but those differences are inevitable part any struggle for freedom, justice, and dignity. Rather than legitimise all forms of dehumanising violence against Kashmiri Muslims by cynically asking &ldquo;what about Pundits?&rdquo; or &ldquo;what about POK?&rdquo; or in recent times &ldquo;what about Balochistan&rdquo;, Indians should first and foremost be recognising and rejecting injustices done in their name.&nbsp;

The resistance movement in Kashmir has a lot to reflect over when it comes to its inclusiveness. Pakistan&rsquo;s hypocritical stance is open to criticism. Pakistan claims to support the self-determination of the Kashmiri people but bases it on the UN resolution, which denies independence as an option. None of these takes away from the most conspicuous fact of denial of self-determination and human rights by India

The most pertinent question is whether Indians can reimagine their nation in ways that are democratic enough to allow the right to self-determination to Kashmiris as promised in 1947. &nbsp;

Is India post-colonial enough to end dehumanising colonial machinery of violence imposed on the people of Kashmir?&nbsp;

Is India responsible enough to negotiate sincerely with various actors in the conflict and embrace azaadi &ndash; the right of all people of Jammu and Kashmir to decide their political fate? Otherwise, the paradox of running &ldquo;world&rsquo;s most militarised place&rdquo; in the &ldquo;world&rsquo;s largest democracy&rdquo; will puncture forever the very idea of democratic India.

&nbsp;

Is India post-colonial enough to put an end to the dehumanising colonial machinery of violence imposed on the people of Kashmir??

There is more than a month of deafening official silence over Kashmir. The silence from the Prime Minister's Office prevailed despite the killings of more than 66 unarmed civilians. Pellet attacks made hundreds blind and thousands of protesters were injured and incarcerated. Recently, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about how “Every Indian love Kashmir” while offering no concrete proposal to assuage the tension in the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir. While a Hindu nationalist himself, Modi's stance, in fact, is in continuity with erstwhile dominant secular nationalists who too argued that Kashmir is an integral part of the country. Over the years, nationalists of all kinds have argued that normalcy and peace would return only with the resigned acceptance by Kashmiris of the status quo. Kashmiris reject this assumption and are demanding freedom from India. The disconnect between India and Kashmir could not be starker. The current phase of uprising should be understood as part of the longer movement to secure the right to self-determination by Kashmiris since 1947. There has been an even longer struggle by disenfranchised Muslims who were demographically the majority but culturally and politically marginalised under Hindu Dogra rulers. There is a proprietorial desire of Indians for Kashmir. It is hard to miss the repeated insistence that there won’t be a compromise. Such attitude reflects cartographical fiction, sadistic obsession, compulsive dehumanisation, and cultivated ignorance that are integral to the idea and practice of patriarchal nation-state, that is, India. Parts of the state are under Pakistan control and parts under China and, yet, any map that represents this de facto reality is deemed illegal in India. Human rights abuses of Kashmiris, include torture, excessive force, enforced disappearance, rape, sexual violence, massacres and extra-judicial killings. The political right to self-determination is denied despite the promise of a plebiscite. These are the faces of “love” that Kashmiris get. Various civil society organisations and international human rights bodies have highlighted the fact that sadistic state violence goes unpunished; none of the safeguards of laws work, allowing impunity to armed forces work. An emergency law, such as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act continues without a break in Kashmir for more than a quarter of a century. In this time, not a single permission has been granted by Ministry of Home Affairs or Ministry of Defence for the prosecution of an armed personnel under this Act. Such omission speaks volumes about the sad state of democratic accountability in the state. Most Indians remain unaware of the level of systemic and everyday violence Kashmiris have to live under because the national media behaves like nationalist media and, largely, endorses the action of the armed forces. In the meantime the political class, right, left and centre, blame Pakistan for all the ills. It is easy to dismiss the current uprising using clich?s of “armed resistance by a few misguided youth”, “proxy war by Pakistan”, “self-interested separatists”, “Islamist extremism”, “Muslim separatism”,"terrorism", and so on. The resilient nature of the anti-India movement, however, makes it abundantly clear that it is popular resistance against colonial rule. Indians prefer the narrative of being a victim of colonisation, and never an oppressor themselves, and yet Indian rule in Kashmir is akin to the conventional form of colonialism. Colonialism and colonisation involve systemic and structural dominance and subservience. It forces an asymmetrical relationship between the coloniser and the colonised. When a foreign power imposes a political rule, it gains control over the narratives through which the rule is perceived and represented. A society subjected to an alien government experiences economic exploitation, cultural transformation, and militarisation. Development measures turn into means of control. The society is denied of rights and becomes subject to surveillance. The everyday epistemic and corporeal violence the society goes through become tangible in differential values that are accorded to human lives; clearly, the life of those with power carries more worth than others less privileged. All these aspects of colonialism are evident when we look at Indian rule over Kashmiris. The interpretative lens used to portray the territorial conflict in Kashmir significantly elides the question of how the conflict is experienced by Kashmiris. It is undeniable that both the states of Pakistan and India are occupying Kashmir. It is India, however, that has been most violently colonial in governing Kashmiri body politics as well as Kashmiri bodies through various mechanisms of control. Therefore, scholars and analysts from, and about, India, have to start asking difficult questions about colonialism, and the corollary of dehumanisation, that seems to have become integral to the idea of the nation-state of India. The current uprising, like the armed insurgency of the 1990s or the popular protests of 2008, 2009 and 2010, may be crushed using brute force, exhaustion, and through divide and rule approach. However, the social and political behaviour of public makes it clear that there is no fear, leave alone love, of India amongst most Kashmiris. The dominant expression is of love for azaadi that is freedom from and not within India. There is not denying that there are serious differences along religious, regional and ethnic lines amongst people of Jammu and Kashmir over the future – should it be part of India, part of Pakistan or independent state – but those differences are inevitable part any struggle for freedom, justice, and dignity. Rather than legitimise all forms of dehumanising violence against Kashmiri Muslims by cynically asking “what about Pundits?” or “what about POK?” or in recent times “what about Balochistan”, Indians should first and foremost be recognising and rejecting injustices done in their name. The resistance movement in Kashmir has a lot to reflect over when it comes to its inclusiveness. Pakistan’s hypocritical stance is open to criticism. Pakistan claims to support the self-determination of the Kashmiri people but bases it on the UN resolution, which denies independence as an option. None of these takes away from the most conspicuous fact of denial of self-determination and human rights by India The most pertinent question is whether Indians can reimagine their nation in ways that are democratic enough to allow the right to self-determination to Kashmiris as promised in 1947. Is India post-colonial enough to end dehumanising colonial machinery of violence imposed on the people of Kashmir? Is India responsible enough to negotiate sincerely with various actors in the conflict and embrace azaadi – the right of all people of Jammu and Kashmir to decide their political fate? Otherwise, the paradox of running “world’s most militarised place” in the “world’s largest democracy” will puncture forever the very idea of democratic India.

For the sake of democracy and humanity, India must let go of its obsessive love of Kashmir

Two days after Pakistan invited India for foreign secretary-level talks on Kashmir, saying it is the &ldquo;international obligation&rdquo; of both the countries to resolve the issue, India today said &quot;terror still remains the core concern that needed to be talked about&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Since aspects related to cross-border terrorism are central to the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir, India has proposed that discussions between the foreign secretaries be focussed on them,&quot; Indian foreign secretary conveyed in a statement to his Pakistan counterpart.&nbsp; 
 
A section of Indian media, however, interpreted it as the country&#39;s rejection of Pakistan&#39;s proposal to hold talks on Kashmir. 
 
Pakistan foreign office spokesman Nafees Zakaria had earlier said in a statement that Indian high commissioner Gautam Bambawale was called to hand over a letter of invitation for talks. 
 
&ldquo;The foreign secretary called in the Indian high commissioner this afternoon [Monday], and handed over a letter addressed to his Indian counterpart, inviting him to visit Pakistan for talks on Jammu and Kashmir dispute that has been the main bone of contention between India and Pakistan,&rdquo; Zakaria said. 
 
The invitation was extended amid tension in bilateral ties due to the war of words between the two nations over the issue.&nbsp;In response to the invitation, the Indian foreign secretary has conveyed his willingness to visit Islamabad. 
 
&quot;India rejects in their entirety the self-serving allegations regarding the situation in northernmost state Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India where Pakistan has no locus standi,&quot; the statement read.&nbsp; 
 
Pakistan&rsquo;s adviser on foreign affairs said last week that a conference of envoys of Pakistan earlier this month had agreed that Islamabad seek talks with New Delhi.&nbsp;Meanwhile, the Kashmir Valley has remained on a boil for over a month after the death of Hizbul Mujahideen millitant commander Burhan Wani.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from PTI)&nbsp;

Pakistan's invitation was extended amid tensions in bilateral ties over the ongoing Kashmir dispute

Two days after Pakistan invited India for foreign secretary-level talks on Kashmir, saying it is the “international obligation” of both the countries to resolve the issue, India today said "terror still remains the core concern that needed to be talked about". "Since aspects related to cross-border terrorism are central to the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir, India has proposed that discussions between the foreign secretaries be focussed on them," Indian foreign secretary conveyed in a statement to his Pakistan counterpart. A section of Indian media, however, interpreted it as the country's rejection of Pakistan's proposal to hold talks on Kashmir. Pakistan foreign office spokesman Nafees Zakaria had earlier said in a statement that Indian high commissioner Gautam Bambawale was called to hand over a letter of invitation for talks. “The foreign secretary called in the Indian high commissioner this afternoon [Monday], and handed over a letter addressed to his Indian counterpart, inviting him to visit Pakistan for talks on Jammu and Kashmir dispute that has been the main bone of contention between India and Pakistan,” Zakaria said. The invitation was extended amid tension in bilateral ties due to the war of words between the two nations over the issue. In response to the invitation, the Indian foreign secretary has conveyed his willingness to visit Islamabad. "India rejects in their entirety the self-serving allegations regarding the situation in northernmost state Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India where Pakistan has no locus standi," the statement read. Pakistan’s adviser on foreign affairs said last week that a conference of envoys of Pakistan earlier this month had agreed that Islamabad seek talks with New Delhi. Meanwhile, the Kashmir Valley has remained on a boil for over a month after the death of Hizbul Mujahideen millitant commander Burhan Wani. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Terrorism remains core concern: India responds to Pak's talks proposal

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