ISLAMABAD – Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday termed a meeting held between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaders of occupied Jammu and Kashmir ‘a drama’ and a public-relation stunt that has achieved nothing.
Addressing a press conference, the minister said that the Indian government had not invited the leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) to the meeting.
He highlighted that the meeting was an effort to repair India and Modi’s reputation that spoiled international after the occupant country stripped Kashmir of its special status in August 2019.
Qureshi stated that Kashmiris are demanding their special status and independence from India, adding that the Kashmiri leaders have also unanimously pushed India to withdraw its illegal decision.
He highlighted that the illegal act by Modi’s government damaged its reputation at the international level, adding that India wanted to restore its reputation by holding such meetings.
In the meeting, Kashmiri leaders were not given a satisfactory reply by the Indian government as the latter has given an ambiguous statement that a decision about restoring the special status of Kashmir will be taken at the appropriate time.
The Kashmiri leaders also demanded India to release political prisoners and stop the extra-judicial killings of youth.
Qureshi said that the demands are being made by the Kashmiri leaders who had been part of the Indian government in the past.
