ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Imran Khan Saturday thanked former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Bin Mohamad for his remarks in support of Kashmiris and against the Indian repression in the occupied region.
“I want to thank Dr Mahathir Bin Mohamad for speaking in support of Kashmiris and against Indian repression in Indian Illegal Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) – this time at a function on 8th Aug to mark a year of the illegal Indian actions in IIOJK,” the prime minister tweeted.
I want to thank Dr Mahathir Bin Mohamad for speaking in support of Kashmiris and against Indian repression in IIOJK – this time at a function on 8 Aug to mark a year of the illegal Indian actions in IIOJK.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) August 8, 2020
On his Twitter handle too, the once longest serving Malaysian leader said that he had chosen to speak out despite being aware of the potential backlash.
Now that Iam no more the Prime Minister, I take it that I can now speak without restrain and address the Kashmir issue without threats of boycotts and such.
AT THE “KASHMIR’S ONE YEAR LOCKDOWN SINCE 5TH AUGUST 2019
KUALA LUMPUR
— Dr Mahathir Mohamad (@chedetofficial) August 8, 2020
“To my mind, keeping quiet is not an option…when all the tell-tale signs were pointing towards another situation whereby a big and powerful country imposed its will with impunity on a small and defenceless nation,” he said.
Recalling his speech at the UN General Assembly last year and its backlash from India, he said, “I offer no apology for what I had said though I am sorry that it had affected our palm oil export to India. I don’t know if that is a high price to pay for speaking out against such injustices.”
“What transpired since my contentious speech at the UN General Assembly in September last year only served to prove that what I had said were mild and to a certain degree, restrained. Now that I am no more the Prime Minister, I take it that I can now speak without restrain and address the Kashmir issue without threats of boycotts and such,” the former prime minister remarked.
