MJ Akbar blasts Pakistan at NAM summit over Uri attack, says Islamabad to be given a befitting reply

The terror attack in Uri in Kashmir has highlighted Pakistan's desire to use poison instead of dialogue, said India at NAM summit.

Margarita Island: India on Sunday said the terrorist attack in Uri in Kashmir has highlighted Pakistan's desire to use poison instead of dialogue as it lodged a strong protest against Islamabad at the NAM summit here for its mischievous and malignant support to terror.

Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar hit out at Pakistan, saying it has reduced itself to pariah status in the international community because of its hypocrisy and its blatant sponsorship of terrorism and of terrorists.

Speaking to reporters after Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz raised the Kashmir issue here at the 17th Non-Aligned Movement Summit, Akbar slammed Pakistan for giving "sanctuary and support, both domestic and international to terrorists" and investing in the evil menace of terrorism.

He said India has lodged a strong protest in writing with NAM against Pakistan's "mischievous, malignant use of terrorism particularly evident even while the summit is taking place in the tragic incident at Uri".

"The tragic incident at Uri has highlighted Pakistan's desire to use poison instead of dialogue. We will never accept the use of brutality as an instrument in international affairs," he said.

"The incident in Uri is a grave incident and not only India but the world is aggrieved by it. Pakistan should understand that it will be given a befitting reply and no one will back Pakistan on this," he asserted.

Seventeen Indian soldiers where killed in a terror attack on an army base in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir by suspected Pakistan-based militants early today.

Aziz, in his address as the Pakistan delegation head, had said "peace in South Asia cannot be achieved without the settlement of the issue of Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with the resolutions of the UN Security Council".

Akbar said that one of the important developments of the NAM summit was the fact that 118 nations out of 120 supported a stand on terrorism and wanted a working group on terrorism.

"The incoming president of NAM has assured us that terrorism will be high if not the highest on his objectives. He supports the need for a working group. I think all countries understand that irrespective of what might be attributed as reasons terrorism is now completely unacceptable to the world community," Akbar said.

"Pakistan's inability to support the idea of a working group is further evidence that it has always been a sponsor. If it was not a sponsor why was it afraid of setting up a working group," Akbar asserted.

Asked about Pakistan's continuous campaign of raising Kashmir on global platforms, Akbar said, "The world understands that our position in Kashmir is legitimate. It has the backing of history and equally important it has the backing of moral behaviour in international affairs".

"And that is why Pakistan's continuous invidious attempts to keep raising the issue get no traction. It's a voice crying in the wilderness," he said.