Modi’s policies destabilising South Asia

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's expansionist policies are pushing the South Asian region towards instability. But the day is not far when the disputed Himalayan territory is liberated.

This was stated by National Assembly Committee for Kashmir Affairs Chairman Shehryar Afridi on Tuesday while addressing different events to mark Kashmir Black Day.

While addressing a seminar at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) on "Black Day: Kashmir and Right to Self-determination," Afridi said that under the 'Chanakya doctrine', new Delhi was pushing its expansionist agenda to materialise the plan of 'greater India'.

Moreover, he said India's treatment of smaller states such as Nepal and Bangladesh was proof of its expansionist agenda subverting regional peace. The sole objective of RSS, he said, was to undermine humanity while considering India as the only superpower.

Pakistan, Afridi asserted, was all for peace and friendship towards its neighbours but the Indian attitude towards all peace initiatives had made it difficult for Pakistan to deal with them any further.

He condemned the new law introduced by the Hindutva regime in the Illegally Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) which allows the sale and purchase of Kashmiri lands to people living in other parts of India. The move blatantly violates the United Nations resolutions on Kashmir and is also a violation of the UN Charter itself," he said.

Afridi also denounced the cowardly terrorist attack in Peshawar, terming it as an Indian ploy to divert the world attention from the black day being observed across the country on the 73rd anniversary of Indian occupation of Kashmir.

"Kashmir is a nuclear flashpoint between the three nuclear-capable countries of Pakistan, China and India," he said, adding that Pakistan will never compromise on its national security and sovereignty, which were the prerequisites to regional peace.

Black day events

At the PNCA, a host of events were held to mark the day. The events included a puppet show, declamation contest, tableaus and an exhibition of photographs.

Artists arranged a puppet show to highlight the hardships of the Kashmiri people in IIOJK.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 27^th, 2020.