ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s bold move to nominate 22 parliamentarians as special envoys to highlight brutalities and human rights abuses in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK) on Saturday evoked a strong response from the Indian media.
The Indian media reacted angrily by terming it ‘provocation’ and ‘meddling’ in the country affairs while reporting the news. The Indian Express reported with a headline ‘Pak needles India on Kashmir’.
The Indian media termed Nawaz’s move as ‘escalating war of words between India and Pakistan’ in the aftermath of the continuing unrest in Kashmir – that broke out on July 8 after Burhan Wani was killed by Indian security forces.
“Even as India continues to ramp up pressure on Islamabad over its incitement of violence and unrest in Kashmir, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday announced that he has tasked 22 parliamentarians with raking up the Kashmir issue in various international forums,” the Times of India reported.
A visibly frustrated ‘The First Post’ in its headline – Pakistan provokes India – stated the move can be seen as provocation from Pakistan’s side, which has been in a constant tussle with the Indian political leadership over the Kashmir issue recently.
Nawaz said that the Kashmir issue is the most persistent failure of the UN – to which India TV News in its online site stated, “In his desperation to fish in the troubled waters of Kashmir valley, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today appointed 22 parliamentarians as special envoys to fight for the Kashmir cause across the world.”
The Quint began its report with ‘Sharif ropes 22 Envoys to expose human rights abuse in Kashmir’ and further stated, ‘By making these appointments, Sharif is attempting to expose the alleged abuse of human rights in the Kashmir valley in the context of the on-going violence.’
Whereas India.com said Sharif wants to highlight the plight of Kashmiris before the international community, ‘Amidst efforts by the Modi government to bring some semblance of peace in the Kashmir Valley, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is planning to take the issue to the international level.”
While India Today began its story with, “In yet another attempt to meddle in India’s internal affairs, Pakistan today nominated 22 Parliamentarians to raise the Kashmir dispute in the United Nations in September.”
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