Glorification of Wani is self-incrimination by Sharif: India

From Yoshita Singh New York, Sep 22 (PTI) Lambasting Pakistan Prime MinisterNawaz Sharif’s "glorification" of Hizbul commander Burhan Waniin his speech to the UN General Assembly, India said hailing a"self-advertised" terrorist at the forum is "self-incrimination" by the Pakistani leader. Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar said itis "shocking" that a leader of a nation can "glorify a self-declared self-advertised terrorist" at a forum such as theUnited Nations General Assembly. "We heard the glorification of a terrorist. Burhan Waniwas a self-declared commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, thisorganisation is widely acknowledged internationally as aterrorist group," Akbar said at a briefing to Indian reportershere responding to Sharif’s General Debate address at the UNyesterday. "This is self-incrimination by the Pakistan PrimeMinister. We just heard a speech full of threat, bluster andwhat can only be described as rising immaturity and completedisregard of facts," Akbar said. In his nearly 20-minute speech, almost half of which wasfocussed on Kashmir, Sharif hailed Wani as the "symbol" of theKashmiris’ freedom movement. He said a "new generation" of Kashmiris has risenspontaneously against India’s "illegal occupation – demandingfreedom from occupation". The Pakistan Prime Minister referred to Wani, who waskilled in an encounter with security forces on July 8, as a"young leader" and said he has "emerged as the symbol of thelatest Kashmiri Intifada, a popular and peaceful freedommovement…" India also strongly rejected Sharif’s call for "a seriousand sustained" dialogue "without any conditions", with Akbarsaying that Islamabad is talking about dialogue with a "gun inits hand". "Pakistan at this moment seems to be run by a war machinerather than a government. Pakistan wants dialogue whileholding a terrorist gun in its hand. "Talks and guns don’t go together. Our position on adialogue has been consistent. We have always been ready for adialogue but we will not succumb to the blackmail tactics ofthe government in Islamabad that seems eager to use terroristsand terrorism as policy," Akbar said. Sharif had said that Islamabad is open to discuss "allmeasures of restraint and responsibility" with India, in "anyforum or format and without any conditions" but blamed Indiafor posing "unacceptable preconditions" to engage in adialogue. He said Pakistan was also ready for talks to agree on abilateral nuclear test ban treaty. In a strong rejection of Sharif’s assertion thatviolations of human rights are being committed by Indianforces in ‘occupied’ Jammu and Kashmir, Akbar said "the onlyoccupation in Jammu and Kashmir, which is a part of India, isthe occupation of a part of Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistanoccupation army". (MORE) PTI YAS SAI AKJSAI