Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday declared slain Hizbul terrorist Burhan Wani a “martyr” and said July 19 will be observed as a “black day” to express solidarity with people of Kashmir.
Hitting out at Pakistan’s decision the Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement saying, “We are dismayed at the continued attempts by Pakistan to interfere in our internal matters.”
“The self serving actions by Pakistan in the last few days to derive political mileage out of the recent developments in J&K follow planned infiltration and and terrorism aimed at India from across the Line of Control and International Boundary. The attempts in Pakistan by various players to ingratiate themselves to the people of J&K in the run up to the so called elections in territories under Pakistan’s illegal occupation will not succeed,” MEA’s statement read.
Addressing a special cabinet meeting in Lahore to discuss the situation in Kashmir on Friday, Mr. Sharif had termed the “movement of Kashmiris as a movement of freedom”.
“Pakistan would continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support for Kashmiris in their just struggle for right to self-determination,” he had said.
“The Prime Minister termed Burhan Wani as martyr of independence movement,” Radio Pakistan reported. “He said, Indian brutalities will give impetus to the freedom struggle and Kashmiri people will get their right to self-determination
for which the whole Pakistani nation is standing behind them,” reported Radio Pakistan.
He was also quoted as saying by Radio Pakistan. “Seven hundred thousand Indian soldiers deployed in Occupied Kashmir could not suppress the struggle of Kashmiris.”
On the proposal of Prime Minister Sharif, the cabinet decided that “Black Day will be observed on Tuesday (July 19) against Indian barbarism in Occupied Kashmir.”
The meeting also condemned the terrorist attacks in France, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Turkey and Indonesia.