- Reiterates that Modi-led ruling BJP would now target religious minorities in the country after Muslims
- Says ever since I assumed PM’s office I have offered to engage in dialogue with India
- Says Govt will try to give all Sikh pilgrims visas on arrival, in addition to multiple visas
ISLAMABAD, September 2: Pakistan will not use nuclear weapons first, Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Monday, amid tensions with India after New Delhi revoked the special status of Occupied Kashmir.
“We both are nuclear-armed countries. If these tensions increase, the world could be in danger,” he said while addressing the concluding session of International Sikh Convention in Lahore. “There will be no first from our side ever,” he added.
Premier Imran also reiterated that Narendra Modi-led ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would now target religious minorities in the country after Muslims.
He vowed that the government would do its best to ease visa process for intending Sikh pilgrims. “It is our [government’s] duty to facilitate our Sikh brethren who come to Pakistan for pilgrimage.” The government, PM Imran said, will try to give all Sikh pilgrims visas on arrival , in addition to multiple visas.
While talking about Pakistan’s peace priority, she said: “Ever since I took up the prime minister’s office I have offered to engage in dialogue with India.”
He, however, lamented that New Delhi has always wanted to impose a raft of conditions with Islamabad whenever he has reached out to Narendra Modi.
PM Imran said that the lockdown in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) is closing in on a month. “Eight million people are being held captive by the Indian government,” he added.
He lashed the BJP government, saying that their thuggery is even against Hinduism.
On August 5, India had stripped Occupied Kashmir of the special autonomy it had for seven decades through a rushed presidential order.
By repealing Article 370 of the constitution, people from the rest of India will now have the right to acquire property in the disputed region and settle there permanently. Kashmiris see the move as an attempt to dilute the demographics of Muslim-majority Kashmir with Hindu settlers. Pakistan had strongly condemned the move and vowed to “exercise all possible options to counter the illegal steps” taken by India.
