Sartaj Aziz calls Indian allegations over Uri attack "a blatant attempt to divert attention from atrocities in Kashmir"

NEW YORK - The Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz has categorically rejected India’s “baseless and irresponsible” accusations against Pakistan following Sunday’s attack on Indian troops in Indian Occupied Kashmir, calling it a “blatant” attempt to divert attention from the deteriorating situation there.

In a statement soon after his arrival here from Venezuela, the adviser said, “Pakistan has noted with serious concern the recent spate of vitriolic and unsubstantiated statements emanating from Indian civil and military leadership in the aftermath of yesterday’s attack on Indian occupation forces in the Uri sector of the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK)”.

“Pakistan categorically rejects the baseless and irresponsible

accusations being levelled by senior officials in Prime Minister Modi’s Government. It is a blatant attempt on India’s part to deflect attention from the fast deteriorating humanitarian and human rights situation in the Indian occupied Kashmir since the death of Burhan Wani”.

“It needs to be understood that the situation in IOK is not of

Pakistan’s making but a direct consequence of illegal Indian occupation and a long history of atrocities that has resulted in over a 100 deaths.More than 100 people have died and thousands injured during the recent episode of protest and ongoing curfew in the occupied territory over the past 73 days”.

“A large number of youth have been blinded by the indiscriminate firing of pellet guns.Nobody has been spared the brute state force including the elderly, wounded patients in hospitals as women and children.This should awaken international conscience”.

“It was particularly deplorable that (an) Indian minister chose to blame Pakistan for the incident even prior to conducting proper investigation.The statement is part of a pattern to mislead world opinion and cover up India’s reign of terror in IOK.”

–APP