India urges Pakistani PM to de-terrorize Pakistan

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif addresses the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly, at U.N. Headquarters, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2015. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, while addressing at the 70th session of thee United Nations General Assembly, at U.N. Headquarters on Wednesday commented on de-militarizing Kashmir. India has reponded by asking Islamabad to de-terrorize Pakistan instead of asking for de-militarization of Kashmir. India called Pakistan the prime sponsor of terrorism and accused Islamabad of breeding terrorists.

The official spokesperson for the ministry of external affairs Vikas Swarup, in a series of tweets, countered the claims made by Nawaz Sharif in his UN speech.

“Pakistan’s instability arises from its breeding of terrorists. Blaming neighbors is not a solution,” he tweeted. Earlier, indirectly accusing India for its instability, Sharif said in his UNGA speech, “Wisdom dictates that our immediate neighbor refrains from fomenting instability in Pakistan. The two countries should address and resolve causes of tension and take all possible measures to avert further escalation.”

Countering Sharif’s charges, Swarup said, “Pakistan’s instability arises from its breeding of terrorists. Blaming neighbours is not a solution.”

Pak PM Sharif in his speech suggested a new peace initiative between the two countries. According to him, one of the ways to achieve peace is to demilitarize Kashmir. Apart from this, he also wanted unconditional and mutual withdrawal from Siachen Glacier, the world’s highest battle ground. Swarup reacted to this in his tweet, saying: “To de-militarize Kashmir is not the answer, to de-terrorize Pakistan is.” In another tweet, he said: “Pakistan is not primary victim of terrorism but of its own policies. It is in fact the prime sponsor of terrorism.”

Swarup also urged Pakistan to vacate Kashmir. He said in his tweet, “Pak PM gets foreign occupation right, occupier wrong. We urge early vacation of Pak occupied Kashmir.”