'India violating ceasefire at LoC to divert attention from internal anarchy'

FM Qureshi says the anti-Muslim and Hindutva-based thought of Modi government has divided entire India

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi reiterated on Friday that India was resorting to continuous ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) to divert attention from its internal anarchy.

The statement comes during a consultation meeting of former foreign secretaries in Islamabad, said Radio Pakistan.

The participants of the meeting discussed the continued curfew, Indian aggression in occupied Kashmir and critical situation of peace and security of the region.

The foreign minister said Pakistan was and would continue exposing Indian brutalities in the held valley at every platform.

“The fire which was erupted by the Modi government in Indian-occupied Kashmir (IOK) on August 5, has now engulfed entire India,” said FM Qureshi.

In August this year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had withdrawn the special rights granted to IOK. Since then, there was a communication lockdown in the valley amid daily protests.

According to the foreign minister, India deprived the world of getting access to the ground realities of the occupied Kashmir valley by imposing restrictions on the means of communications.

Commenting on the anti-Muslim citizenship law proposed by the Indian government, he said, “Today, the anti-Muslim and Hindutva-based thought of Modi government has divided entire India.”

Indian authorities stepped up security in major cities on Friday and mobile data services were suspended in some places ahead of protests against a new citizenship law.

At least 25 people were killed in protests across Indian since the law, seen as discriminatory towards Muslims, was adopted on December 11.



The backlash against the law pushed through parliament by the Hindu nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the biggest challenge he has faced since he was first elected in 2014.

Violence peaked last Friday as police clashed with protesters in several cities, especially in Uttar Pradesh state, after weekly Muslim prayers and more protests are expected this week.