India perpetrating state terrorism in IIOJK: Defence Minister

Islamabad: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Friday took a strong exception to the mention of Pakistan in a joint statement issued after a meeting between US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Speaking in the National Assembly today, he recalled that it was Narendra Modi who oversaw the killings of thousands of Muslims and rape of Muslim women in Gujarat during his tenure as the Chief Minister and in recognition of those atrocities, the US, at that time, had imposed ban on issuing a visa to Narendra Modi.

The Defence Minister said the Indian Prime Minister continues to target the minorities especially the Muslims. There is an undeclared curfew in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir and the people there are living under restrictions of all sorts in blatant violation of human rights.

He said the Indian government is perpetrating state terrorism in illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Turning to the relations with the United States, Khawaja Asif said Pakistan today is paying a heavy price of serving as a frontline state in the two Afghan wars. 

He said the terrorism entered Pakistan because it acted as an ally of the United States in the war on terrorism. He regretted that the sacrifices of Pakistan were not acknowledged.

The Defence Minister said the elections are due in the country. He said whosoever forms the next government, it should pursue stable relations with the United States and the neighboring countries. He stressed that Pakistan should leverage on its geographical location.