UNITED NATIONS(TIP): Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday raised the Kashmir issue in his maiden address to the UN General Assembly and demanded that India lift the “inhuman curfew” in Kashmir and release all “political prisoners”.

In his speech that went on for about 50 minutes, exceeding the 15-minute limit for UN speeches during the general debate, Mr. Khan devoted half of his address to the Kashmir issue, warning that if there was a face-off between two nuclear-armed neighbors, the consequences would be far beyond their borders.

Article 370

Mr. Khan spoke at length about India’s decision to revoke Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and criticized the government’s move to put in place a communication lockdown.

He said India ended the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, flouting 11 resolutions of the UN Security Council, the Shimla agreement and its own Constitution.

“What is the world community going to do? Is it going to appease a market of 1.2 billion, or is it going to stand up for justice and humanity,” the Pakistani Prime Minister asked.

“…This is the time to take action. And number one action must be that India must lift the inhuman curfew” in Kashmir, he said. “It must free all political prisoners,” he added.

Self-determination

He went on to say that the world community must give the people of Kashmir the right to self-determination.

Asserting that the situation in Kashmir will deteriorate once India lifts the curfew, Mr. Khan said, “You hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.”

He said once the curfew is lifted, “there will be a reaction” and India would blame Pakistan.

“Two nuclear-armed countries will come face to face, like we came in February,” he said, a reference to the stand-off between the two nations following the Pulwama terror attack on an Indian police convoy and India’s subsequent air strikes on terror camps in Balakot in Pakistan.

(Source : PTI)