Pakistan’s peace overtures met with war postures: Ambassador Shah

CAIRO – 5 March 2019: Pakistani Ambassador to Cairo Mushtaq Ali Shah said Tuesday that his country "made so many peace overtures to India since Prime Minister Imran Khan assumed power but India seems not to appreciate these overtures."

In a press meeting held by the embassy Tuesday, Shah commented on the latest conflict between Pakistan and India, after both countries launched strikes over the Line of Control – the de factor border that separates the two nuclear-armed neighbors in disputed Kashmir. This is considered the first escalation of its kind since many years ago.

At least eight civilians and two soldiers have been killed in Kashmir since the tensions erupted after India’s airstrike on Pakistan last week, in response to a suicide bombing in Kashmir on February 14, for which New Delhi blamed Islamabad for the deaths ensued.


Pakistani Ambassador to Cairo Mushtaq Ali Shah during press conference on Kashmir escalation - Press photo

Ambassador Shah stated that “the 14th February incident was done by a Kashmiri boy who grows up in Kashmir and his family is there in Indian held Kashmir but India falsely points the fingers of accusation towards Pakistan.”

“There are human rights violations in Kashmir as indicated in UN Human Rights report of 2018. India is going to election,” Shad added.

In retaliation, Islamabad shot down a fighter jet and detained its pilot, before it returned him to India two days later.

In a bid to end the tensions, Pakistan Foreign Minister discussed this with the UN Secretary General and PM Imran Khan in a televised address said that he is ready to cooperate with India and investigate the incident but India rejects Pakistan’s offer. The move was hailed on social media as a wise action to end bloodshed.

Ambassador Shah reiterated Imran Khan’s statements justifying Pakistan’s retaliatory strikes, “India violated our air space and we had to show them our response. They claimed that they bombed the training camp but it was just a mere allegation.”

“Again yesterday Indian submarine tried to violate our territorial waters and we forced it to go back. Our peace overture was met with war postures. The International community reacted fairly asking for de-escalation and resort to dialogue, including Egypt,” he continued.

Shah concluded his speech wishing no further escalation between both countries.
“Pakistan is avoiding war and promotes peace but we cannot stand silent and allow others to violate our land we have exercised maximum self-restraint,” he said.