New Delhi: India on Monday slammed Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s remarks condemning civilians deaths in Kashmir over the weekend when an explosive device went off at the site of an encounter that had not been sanitised by the security forces.
In a statement, foreign ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said Khan’s comments made in Twitter posts were “deeply regrettable.”
“Instead of making comments on India ‘s internal affairs, the Pakistan leadership should look inwards and address its own issues. Pakistan would serve the interest of the people of the region by taking credible action against all kind of support to terrorism and terror infrastructure from all territories under its control, rather than supporting and glorifying terrorists and terror activities against India and its other neighbours. Pakistan's deceitful stand on dialogue, while supporting terror and violence, stands exposed to the whole world,” Kumar said.
The Indian statement was in response to Khan’s tweet earlier on Monday. "Strongly condemn the new cycle of killings of innocent Kashmiris....by Indian security forces," Khan had tweeted. "It is time India realise it must move to resolve the Kashmir dispute through dialogue in accordance with the UNSC resolutions & the wishes of the Kashmiri people."
The comments were made a day after six civilians were killed after an explosive went off at an encounter site in the Kulgam district of South Kashmir. It was at the same site where Indian security forces killed three terrorists in an encounter. According to news reports, the six civilians were killed after they returned to the site of the encounter before the security forces sanitised the place.
In a separate statement, Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the international community should take cognizance of the alleged human rights violations in Kashmir.
Tensions between India and Pakistan went up after India called off a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan, citing killings of Indian security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the release of Pakistani postage stamps "glorifying a terrorist and terrorism,” last month.
In his victory speech after the July elections, Khan expressed his willingness to improve Pakistan’s ties with India and said his government would like the leaders of the two sides to resolve all disputes, including the “core issue” of Kashmir, through talks. He said good India-Pakistan relations will be beneficial for the entire region.