Pak Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid
Exposing his own government's narrative, a top Pakistani minister and a close aide of Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday said that Islamabad had shown "weakness" on Kashmir, contradicting his government's claim that it has "succeeded" in internationalising the issue.
The statement on Kashmir was made by Pak's Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid who said the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government will hold rallies in the country till February 5 to express solidarity with the Kashmiri people.
"I think so far we have shown weakness on the Kashmir issue. I have spoken (on it) in the Cabinet meetings," Rashid told reporters. Rashid's remarks have come days after Prime Minister Khan reaffirmed Pakistan's support for the Kashmiri people.
"J&K dispute must be resolved in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolIslamabad had shown "weakness" on Kashmir, contradicting his government's claim that it has "succeeded" in internationalising the issue. tions & the will of the Kashmiri people. We will continue to provide moral, political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people...," Khan said advancing the Pakistani propaganda in a tweet on Thursday.
"An internationally recognised dispute, J&K remains on the Security Council's agenda & its consideration by the Council reflects a recognition of the seriousness of the prevailing situation," he added given the fact the just a few days ago UNSC in a closed door meetings once again came out with a conclusion that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan.
In a special address to the nation in August last year, Khan said that Islamabad's Kashmir policy was at a "decisive" point and his government had succeeded in internationalising the issue of Kashmir. His statement came at a time when the entire world said that Kashmir issue should be resolved bilaterally between the two countries.
On Friday, Khan chaired a meeting on the situation in Kashmir, which was attended by Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence Lt Gen Faiz Hamid, Foreign Secretary Sohail Mehmood and other senior military and civilian officials.
They discussed the preparations for the Kashmir Day observed on February 5 every year to express solidarity with the Kashmiris.
"The country took the decision of abrogation of Article 370, which had only given separatism and terrorism to that state," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at a function in October last year.
Earlier in December, minister Rashid had said that the opening of the historic Kartarpur Corridor was the brainchild of Pakistan Army chief General Bajwa, contradicting his government's assertion that the idea behind the initiative was of Prime Minister Khan.
On November 9, prime minister Khan inaugurated the Kartarpur Corridor to facilitate the visa-free entry of Indian Sikh pilgrims to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak Dev. Rashid, a known motormouth, said the corridor will hurt India for ever.
"India will remember forever the kind of wound inflicted on it by Gen Bajwa by opening Kartarpur corridor," he had said.
(With inputs from PTI)
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