ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Wednesday he would no longer seek dialogue with Indian officials, raising the threat of a military escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
In an interview with The New York Times, Khan complained about what he described as repeated rebuffs from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Pakistan’s entreaties for dialogue, both before and after an August 5 crackdown in the disputed territory of Kashmir.
“There is no point in talking to them,” Khan said in an interview at the prime minister’s office in Islamabad. “I mean, I have done all the talking. Unfortunately, now when I look back, all the overtures that I was making for peace and dialogue, I think they took it for appeasement. There is nothing more that we can do.”
Khan has repeatedly denounced India’s Hindu nationalist government for revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in a bid to fully integrate India’s only Muslim-majority region with the rest of the country, the most far-reaching move on the troubled territory in nearly seven decades.
Anticipating unrest, Indian authorities have also launched a clampdown in Kashmir by suspending telephone and Internet services and putting many leaders under house arrest.
Indian soldiers and police officers have been accused of using excessive force on Kashmiri civilians, drawing strong criticism from rights groups and the United Nations.
International rights groups and Kashmiris say ordinary citizens are unable to reach hospitals because of Indian security checkpoints, and medical and food stocks ran low shortly after India stripped the region of its autonomy this month.
Echoing what Khan and his subordinates have said on social media and in Pakistani news outlets, the Pakistani prime minister described Modi as a “fascist and Hindu supremacist” who intended to eradicate Kashmir’s mostly Muslim population and populate the region with Hindus.
“The most important thing is that eight million people’s lives are at risk,” Khan said. “We are all worried that there is ethnic cleansing and genocide about to happen.”
Such accusations have been dismissed as absurd by Modi’s government.
Shortly after taking office last summer, Khan reached out to India in an attempt to revive talks between the countries on a wide range of issues, including Kashmir. But Indian officials rejected Khan’s efforts with a longstanding response that they will negotiate only after Pakistan cuts ties to militant groups. Pakistan denies it has links to such groups.
No point in talking to India, PM Khan says
No point in talking to India, PM Khan says
- Laments that India has mistaken his peace overtures as attempts at appeasement
- Says Pakistan worried “ethnic cleansing and genocide about to happen” in Kashmir
High-level Libyan delegation meets Pakistan PM, discusses areas for future cooperation
- The meeting comes over a month after Pakistan reportedly struck a $4 billion defense deal to sell military equipment to Libyan National Army
- PM Sharif reaffirms Pakistan’s commitment to fostering friendly ties with Libya, emphasizes the importance of continued engagement and dialogue
ISLAMABAD: A high-level delegation from Libya on Tuesday called on Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad and discussed areas for future cooperation between the two sides, PM Sharif’s office said.
The delegation comprised Dr. Osama Saad Hamad, who governs eastern Libya, Libyan National Army (LNA) Commander-in-Chief Khalifa Abu-al-Qasim Haftar and his deputy, Lt. Gen. Saddam Khalifa Haftar.
During the discussions, both sides exchanged views on matters of mutual interest and underscored the importance of strengthening bilateral relations, according to PM Sharif’s office.
“The meeting reflected the shared desire to enhance cooperation in areas of common concern and to promote peace, stability, and development at regional and international levels,” Sharif’s office said in a statement.
The development comes more than a month after reports suggested Pakistan had struck a $4 billion defense deal to sell military equipment, including JF-17 fighter jets and Super Mushshak trainer aircraft, to the LNA that controls eastern Libya.
The reports followed the visit of Pakistani Defense Forces Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir to Libya in December. There has been no official confirmation of the deal so far.
Libya has been subject to a UN arms embargo since 2011, requiring approval from the UN for transfers of weapons and related material. It was not clear whether Pakistan or Libya had applied for any exemptions to the UN embargo.
PM Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to fostering friendly relations with Libya and emphasized the importance of continued engagement and dialogue, according to his office. The Libyan leadership appreciated Pakistan’s role and expressed interest in expanding collaboration between the two countries.
“The meeting concluded with an understanding to maintain close contact and explore avenues for future cooperation,” Sharif’s office said.
On Monday, LNA Commander-in-Chief Haftar also met Field Marshal Munir and discussed with him military cooperation and regional security, according to the Pakistani military.
“Both sides exchanged views on matters of mutual interest, with particular focus on security dynamics in respective regions and professional cooperation,” the Pakistani military said.
“The discussion underscored the importance of continued engagement and collaboration between the Armed Forces of Pakistan and Libya.”
