Basit's remark on Kashmir draws flak

Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India, Abdul Basit, on Thursday stated that New Delhi could only suppress, but not quell the Kashmiri people’s struggle for freedom.

Basit’s remark triggered a sharp response from New Delhi. Gopal Baglay,  spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said that the remark of the High Commissioner of Pakistan in India was “not in keeping with diplomatic niceties”.

Speaking at an event at the High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi on the occasion of the National Day of his country, Basit said that Islamabad was pursuing a policy to promote “peace, especially in Asia”.

“We (Pakistan) have tried to have better ties with all our neighbours. These ties must be based on equal footing and loyalty and our efforts have been in that direction,” said the High Commissioner of Pakistan.

“As far as the (issue of) Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, it should be resolved as per the aspirations of Kashmiris. We hope that we will resolve the issue, but as per the aspirations of Kashmiris,” said Basit, who has been Pakistan’s envoy to India since early 2014 and is likely to return to Islamabad soon.

Basit is likely to be replaced by Sohail Mahmood, who is at present Pakistan’s envoy to Turkey.  “Time has witnessed that whenever people raised voices and struggled for freedom, it could be suppressed, but not quelled,” Basit said.

DH News Service