India is committing violations of international laws, says FM Qureshi

UNGA president to visit Pakistan Monday, says foreign minister

ISLAMABAD:

India has been targeting civilians along the Line of Control (LoC) and committing violations of international laws, said Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in a statement issued on Thursday.

India has always used double standards but Pakistan took foreign media personnel to the LoC to show the real picture, said Qureshi referring to the visit by foreign media on Wednesday, which he dubbed very important.

The minister pointedly asked whether India would allow independent journalists to visit Indian-occupied Kashmir. He maintained India keeps movements of United Nations' observers limited so that they cannot see facts along the disputed border.

According to the minister, the president of the UN General Assembly will be visiting Pakistan on Monday, and Pakistan's stance, as well as the situation, will be presented before him.

India's relations with its neighbours, including China, Nepal and Bangladesh, are getting tense day by day, claimed Qureshi.

He added that India is deteriorating its ties with other regional countries because of its Hindutva ideology, mentioning that Iran has also dropped India from participating in the Chabahar project.

Tensions along the LOC have persisted over the years as the hostile neighbouring countries routinely accuse each other of ceasefire violations along the border. In the recent past, tensions have escalated against the backdrop of India's increasing hostilities in Indian-occupied Kashmir, it's decision to revoke Indian-occupied Kashmir's special status and increased militarisation in the region subsequently. The rift between the two countries further worsened with escalation of conflict between India and China in Ladakh.