Sarfraz Hussain, Press Counsellor of the Pakistan Embassy in Washington, spewed venom against India and urged the international community not to remain silent as India prepares to host the G20 tourism summit in Srinagar.
The Pakistani diplomat’s anti-India remarks came as India prepares to host several G20 meetings in Jammu and Kashmir. India released a full calendar of events leading up to the summit last month, including G20 and Youth 20 meetings in Srinagar and Leh, in the Ladakh region, in April and May. Pakistan has “vehemently condemned” India’s move, calling it “self-serving” on the part of New Delhi.
The Pakistani councillor took to Twitter to share an opinion by The Washington Post Columnist Rana Ayubb. It warns of a much darker narrative defining “Modi’s India,” calling the country’s democracy “unhealthy.”
Writing in her opinion for the Washington Post against India, and PM Modi, Ayyub said, “But a much darker narrative is starting to define Modi’s India. The government has been systematically oppressing, marginalizing and inciting hatred toward its 220-million Muslim minority. This campaign has been slowly gathering momentum over the years and has reached new levels of intensity today. India is not a healthy democracy.”
Taking the side of the Washington Post columnist, the Pakistani diplomat has called for global support, further inflaming antipathy towards India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Calling upon Int. community not to remain silent, @RanaAyyub warns that “a much darker narrative is starting to define Modi’s India.” “India is not a healthy democracy.” Modi is enflaming hatred of Muslims in India, as the world looks the other way,” the Press Counsellor Embassy of Pakistan in Washington tweeted.
This year, India will preside over the G20 summit, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in charge. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has left its imprint on India since becoming the country’s dominant political force in 2014. India has become a more significant actor on the global stage under PM Modi’s leadership, and this cannot be denied.
However, when it comes to cross-border terrorism from Pakistan, relations between the two countries have long been strained, despite Islamabad’s demands for the reinstatement of Article 370 for the formerly Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.
In a recent incident, Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari attended the SCO Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Goa, India, where he remarked on not weaponizing terrorism for diplomatic gain.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar later said that Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s “weaponising terrorism” remarks meant that “they think terrorism is legitimate” and that India is politically and diplomatically exposing Pakistan as a victim of cross-border terrorism.
“Okay, now what are we doing? We are countering ourselves. Countering terrorism? We are defending ourselves. We are calling it out. We are exposing it… So, to me, we are not scoring diplomatic points. We are politically, diplomatically, exposing Pakistan before the world. And as a victim of terrorism, I’m completely entitled to do so,” Jaishankar said.
He stated that India has the right to defend itself against cross-border terrorism. According to Jaishankar, Pakistan is a “spokesperson for the terrorism industry.” India has repeatedly expressed concern about Pakistan’s continued support for cross-border terrorism and terrorist infiltration. According to reports, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been bearing the brunt of this terrorism campaign for decades and will continue to do so.
The Indian government repealed Article 370, which granted Jammu and Kashmir special autonomy, in the summer of 2019. With the removal of the special autonomous status, businesses in the region found it easier to operate because they were no longer subject to some of the regulations that had previously hampered their growth.
The possibility of hosting a G20 summit in Jammu and Kashmir presents unprecedented opportunities for the region, instilling hope for renewed stability and prosperity. The hosting of the G20 summit will place Jammu and Kashmir at the centre of diplomatic relations and foster cooperation. Delegates will gain firsthand knowledge of the region, gaining valuable insights into the region’s challenges and potential for growth. The summit will provide an opportunity for Jammu and Kashmir to showcase its resources and potential, as well as to forge connections that will help to support long-term development.
