A member of UN military observer group (C) stands with Pakistani soldiers at the office of the UNMOGIP during an anti-India demonstration in Muzffarabad. PHOTO: REUTERS
Pakistan reacted cautiously on Monday to the hanging of Afzal Guru, expressing concerns over what it called “high-handed measures” by India in the wake of his execution to suppress the aspirations of Kashmiris”.
In the first official reaction since the controversial execution of the Kashmiri man accused of being behind the Indian Parliament attack in 2001, the foreign ministry said Pakistan would not go into details of the trial process.
“The matter is being discussed and debated by the media and human rights organisations,” the Foreign Office spokesman said in a carefully worded statement.
However, Moazzam Ali Khan added that Islamabad had serious concerns over the ‘coercive measures’ taken by India to suppress Kashmiris in the aftermath of Guru’s execution.
Guru, a fruit merchant, was hanged and buried in Delhi’s Tihar Jail on Saturday.
“We reaffirm our solidarity with the People of Jammu and Kashmir and express our serious concern on the high-handed measures taken by India in the wake of Afzal Guru’s execution to suppress the aspirations of Kashmiris by arrests and detention of Hurriyat leaders, curfew, news blackout and other coercive means,” Khan said in a statement.
He called for the lifting of “repressive measures and immediate release of Hurriyat leaders.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 12th, 2013.
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@Lala Gee: Mr. Gee, one piece of free and very valuable advice for you:=> Healthcare in India is affordable and is of good quality so please come here and get yourself treated. In fact our governments will do it for free, if we can treat the minds of some Pakistanis like you so that you can spread the message of peace and love and not that of hatred !! I seriously feel pity for you that you are living in such darkness (darkness is symbolic), Well, but then with all the power outages in Pakistan i think meaning it literally would also be technically correct. Anyways, get yourself treated Mr. Gee. I will pray for your betterment. Jai Pakistan !!
@gp65: @Sanjay:
"Kashmir belongs to Indians who may be Muslim/Christian/Sikh/Hindu/Buddhists/Jainist/Yahudi & any followers of current of future religions (as long as they obey constitution)."
Kashmiris were never given this opportunity and asked if they wanted to opt-in for the Indian Constitution or not. This is what they have been struggling for since last 65+ years that they should be given this opportunity to opt-in or opt-out of the Indian Constitution. Indian constitution was imposed on them, not that they opted-in. This is why Indian Constitution does not apply on them. Give them this opportunity, and if they chose to opt-in, we have no problem accepting their decision.
@gp65: @Cosmo: @Sanjay:
The kind of demented minds and the defective reasoning of the Indians is beyond believe for any rational person. Why your obstinacy and bigotry not let you accept the most simple thing and the most basic fundamental human right that it is the right of the people to decide how they want to live (Secular or Socialist) and with whom they want to live. No body living in “Mumbai”, or “Bangulur”, or ‘Thiruvananthapuram’ should be dictating them to what to choose. This is what true democracy is, not the democracy used for cover-up for 'Hindutva'.
@Lala Gee: I feel pity the way your mind interpreted my words even when context was clear.
I said- “And every Afzal should also realize that Kashmir is not a land of Muslims but a land of Indians.” Every Afzal here means any terrorist who thinks that Kashmir belongs to Muslims only. Kashmir belongs to Indians who may be Muslim/Christian/Sikh/Hindu/Buddhists/Jainist/Yahudi & any followers of current of future religions (as long as they obey constitution).
If you want me to say the same to Narendra Modi (I hope that will satisfy you). "Every Modi should also realize that India is not about Hindus only but of any citizen of India following any current of future religions (as long as they obey constitution)"
@Lala Gee: You are sick!! Go get yourself treated !!
@Lala Gee: "So, you mean Muslims are not Indians or Indians cannot be Muslims. What else can be deduced from your this statement “And every Afzal should also realize that Kashmir is not a land of Muslims but a land of Indians.”."
Not Sanjay but wanted to respond. Your are deliberately distorting what he is saying even though he explained. Whether you are Indian Muslim or Indian Hindu, you are Indian first. Hence every right that is asked for as an Indian which the constitution gives to you, is something you should be entitled to. If you ask for some special rights not granted in constitution merely on the basis of your religion, then that is unacceptable. India is secular. If you want to live in a country created for Muslims you are most welcome to cross the LOC and go to Pakistan.IF someone wants to live in India they have to accept the secular constitution and not demand special rights based on religion.
@Lala Gee: " ... And as soon as someone becomes Muslim, he loses all his rights to the land and those rights are automatically transferred to some Hindu living in “Mumbai”, or “Bangulur”, or even ‘Thiruvananthapuram’. ... "
When a land becomes "Muslim" - non-Muslims lose all rights. In my opinion, it is only fair that when one becomes Muslim, they lose land rights. Pre-emption I call it.
@Sanjay:
"No. By Indian I mean any person who is an Indian citizen. He may be of any religion but he should be bound by Indian constitution."
So, you mean Muslims are not Indians or Indians cannot be Muslims. What else can be deduced from your this statement “And every Afzal should also realize that Kashmir is not a land of Muslims but a land of Indians.”. And as soon as someone becomes Muslim, he loses all his rights to the land and those rights are automatically transferred to some Hindu living in "Mumbai", or "Bangulur", or even 'Thiruvananthapuram'.
@Lala Gee: "You meant Indian Hindus? Didn’t you? ” No. By Indian I mean any person who is an Indian citizen. He may be of any religion but he should be bound by Indian constitution. I am a Hindu brahmin but if any of my religious activity is found in contradiction with Indian constitution (both in letters/spirit) I will have no issue in stopping practicing that part.
@Vectra:
"balochistan is also a disputed territory pakistan should conduct voluntary plebiscite in balochistan so that people of balochistan can choose whether they want to leave with pakistan or want to have their own independent state."
You're welcome to take the case of Baluchistan to UN Security Council as you did in case of Kashmir. Who is stopping India doing that? Please appeal to the world to do justice to the Blochi people ASAP.
if you talk about Kashmir 1st go and solve balochistan problem then come to table on Kashmir. balochistan is also a disputed territory pakistan should conduct voluntary plebiscite in balochistan so that people of balochistan can choose whether they want to leave with pakistan or want to have their own independent state.
@Lala Gee: "And every Afzal should also realize that Kashmir is not a land of Muslims but a land of Indians.” You meant Indian Hindus? Didn’t you? " Don't try to interpret the comment the way which it is not. Are you a mind reader to conclude what is meant by Sanjay?
@kabir: "Balochistan, on the other hand, is a province of Pakistan" That is not what the Buloch say!
&Kabir: &Lala Gee: Posting such comments wont change the fact. Kashmiris wanted to and still want to be a part of India, but insurgencies and external funding in the valley to unite only on the basis of religion have caused remorse and unrest. Ideally, religion or any civilisation can flourish only where there is peace and prosperity. Lately, people have begun to realize that and have started to act accordingly. Ponder upon collective opinion, read global news to get the facts straight.
@Sanjay:
"And every Afzal should also realize that Kashmir is not a land of Muslims but a land of Indians."
You meant Indian Hindus? Didn't you? So the Indian Muslims - who were previously Hindus living in Kashmir for many millennia - have no stakes and rights in India. Thank you for making things clear.
@polpot:
Result will be same as Kargil 1, or maybe worse.
For all those (mostly Indians) who keep bringing up Balochistan:
There is a crucial difference between Balochistan and Kashmir. Kashmir is internationally recognized as DISPUTED TERRITORY. It is not an "integral part of India" no matter how many times you claim that it is.
Balochistan, on the other hand, is a province of Pakistan. No other country claims that Pakistan is occupying Balochistan. This does not mean that Islamabad does not need to address the legitimate concerns of the Baloch. However, Balochistan is an internal affair of Pakistan.
Kashmir is neither part of India nor of Pakistan. There needs to be a resolution to the conflict keeping in mind the aspirations of the Kashmiri people on both sides of the LOC.
India should address Pakistan concerns in Kashmir and Pakistan should address Indian concerns in Baluchistan.
Might as well also protest the "high-handedness" against all Terrorists by India....
What about Pakistan's high-handedness and brutality in butchering tens of thousands of Baloch and their leaders such as Bugti? How about Pakistan's hands in the genocide of three million East Pakistanis?
Afzal Guru, helped attack the Indian parliament killing six people in the process. He was a terrorist and an accomplice in cold-blooded murder. He deserved the hanging as just punishment.
After Guru’s execution: Pakistan decries India’s ‘high-handedness’ against Kashmiris Pakistan can continue its 'low-handedness' against its 'Strategic assets'.... To its own peril..
One Advice when your house is on fire .. you should ponder about your own well- beinf serioulsy pakistan . i see India as developed nation in comming 10-15 years but am sceptical about your future. For Kashmir- its an integral part of india
mind ur own business
We cannot imagined what the people had lost. Funeral service and prayers for Guru.
I wonder why India is against the presence of UNMOGIP in the region. It might be because it does not want UN to become aware of the actual situation prevailing in the region.
“We reaffirm our solidarity with the People of Jammu and Kashmir and express our serious concern on the high-handed measures taken by India in the wake of Afzal Guru’s execution to suppress the aspirations of Kashmiris by arrests and detention of Hurriyat leaders, curfew, news blackout and other coercive means,” +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Otherwise Pakistan will launch Kargil II!
“We reaffirm our solidarity with the People of Jammu and Kashmir and express our serious concern on the high-handed measures taken by India in the wake of Afzal Guru’s execution to suppress the aspirations of Kashmiris by arrests and detention of Hurriyat leaders, curfew, news blackout and other coercive means,” ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Also the termination of murder and violence and unscheduled stoppage of mobile phone services in Karachi...ooops is this about Karachi or Kashmir?:)
India and Pakistan should work together and eliminate Anti Human Activists regardless of their religious affiliations.
I also feel that loss of a life should be avoided. But when I see Afzal's confession on YouTube, when I see the widows of the victims caused by his act & I can not but support his death penalty. I can not favor human rights for terrorists who do not care for the human rights of victims of their acts.
Be it our security personals or any other civilian/ foreign personnel, they should be given the punishment from the court for any illegal act. If our armed forces are doing any atrocity against any innocent persons in any corner of the country, that should be brought forward in a transparent manner without any propaganda & the concerned people should be prosecuted according to the law of the land with same standards applied. As far as our Kashmir policy is concerned, efforts should be placed in the direction of creating an environment that no Afzal should feel any need to resort to such acts. And every Afzal should also realize that Kashmir is not a land of Muslims but a land of Indians.