stand off between india and pakistan over uri attack
TRANSCRIPT
PRESENTED BY: ZUMRA NAWAZ CHEEMA
*
*
Uri Attack (Brief Introduction)
Aftermath
Indian Reaction
Pakistan’s Response
U.S and China Stance
Conclusion
*
* Since 8 July 2016, the Indian state of Jammu &
Kashmir has been undergoing continuous
unrest following the killing of a freedom
campaigner Burhan Wani. The killing sparked
violent protests against the Indian government
in the valley. Following the protest, Curfew was
imposed in all 10 districts of the valley on 15
July and mobile services were suspended by
the government. Protesters defied curfew with
attacks on security forces and public properties.
*During the protests, over 100 civilians have been
killed,and thousands have been injured, including
several Indian security personnel. Following such
situation of unrest, The most recent incident is on
India’s Uri army base on September 18, left 18
soldiers dead and 19-30 soldiers were reported to
have been injured in the attack.
*
*On 19 September, soon after the attack Indian
officials of the Home and Defence ministries met to
review the security situation in Kashmir, particularly
in areas along the Line of Control (LOC).
*Pakistan International Airlines cancelled flights to
certain parts of Kashmir on 21 September
*Security around the army installation in Uri was
intensified following the attack, while soldiers on both
the Indian and Pakistani side of LOC were placed on
high alert.
*India cancelled its participation in the 19th
SAARC summit to be held in November
in Islamabad, Pakistan. Later, Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, and Bhutan also withdrew from the
summit. On 30 September 2016, Pakistan
stated that the summit scheduled for November
9 and 10 in Islamabad would be held on an
alternative date.
*
*After the attack, India started to blame Pakistan as it
is customary to do during past various incidents.
India made false allegations to divert international
attention away from the brutality being perpetrated
by India against innocent masses of occupied
Jammu and Kashmir. A multi-level debate has started
inside India about waging total war or a limited strike
against Pakistan.
* India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused
Pakistan of being an exporter of terrorism, and
vowing to mount a global campaign to isolate it.
*Rajnath Singh, the Indian home minister
described the attack as a cross border infiltration by
militants trained and equipped by Pakistan and thus
labelled Pakistan yet again “a terrorist state.”
*on 26 September, the Indian government stated it
would exercise its rights under the 1960 Indus
Waters Treaty to the full and would expand its
utilisation of its rivers flowing through Jammu and
Kashmir
*The government subsequently stated it would review
Pakistan's most-favored-nation (MFN) trade status,
which India had granted in 1996
*On September 29, eleven days after the attack, the
Indian army said it conducted "surgical strikes"
against suspected militants in Pakistan-administered
Kashmir
*
*Pakistani authorities responded by asking for
“actionable evidence” and rejecting as “baseless”
Indian allegations that they had aided the attackers
*Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said in
the United Nation General Assembly address that the
Uri terror attack could be the result of a "reaction" of
the people to the situation in Kashmir as he criticised
India for blaming Pakistan "without any evidence".
*Pakistan's envoy in New Delhi, Abdul Basit, told
India's Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar that
India sought to divert world attention from state
atrocities in Kashmir by blaming the attack on
Pakistan
*Maliha Lodhi, the permanent representative of
Pakistan in UN, fiercely replied to Indian false
claims. She stated that India is adopting all
these bogus measures to justify its brutal acts
in Kashmir.
*Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff Raheel Sharif
claimed that India is propagating a "hostile
narrative" in response the attack and also stated
that the Pakistani armed forces are "prepared to
respond to the entire spectrum of direct and
indirect threat
*In response to India's suspension of
cooperation over the Indus Waters Treaty, Sartaj
Aziz said India could not revoke the treaty
unilaterally as per the International World Bank
provisions and international laws, and said such
a move would be taken as an act of "war and
hostilities." Aziz said Pakistan would approach
the United Nations Security Council in that
event
*On India withdrawing from the scheduled
SAARC summit in Islamabad, Pakistan's
Foreign Office termed the withdrawal
"unfortunate" and posted a rejoinder stating: "
*
*China has declined reports of Beijing backing
Pakistan over Kashmir issue. Chinese foreign
ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang
told China's position on the Kashmir issue is
consistent and clear,"
"As the neighbour and friend to both Pakistan and
India, we hope the two countries will properly
address their differences through dialogue and
consultation, manage and control the situation
and jointly work for the peace and stability of
South Asia and the growth of the region.
*
*On September 21, US Secretary of State John Kerry
asked Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to
support India in all possible ways in the investigation
of the Uri attack. The US also snubbed Pakistan’s
‘Kashmir’ rant. Kerry met Sharif and asked him to
prevent terrorists from using the Pakistani territory as
safe haven.
*On September 28, Kerry asked India’s External
Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj not to escalate the
matters with Pakistan. US State Department deputy
spokesperson Mark Toner said: “‘We continue to put
pressure on Pakistan to respond to those groups
who are seeking safe haven on Pakistan’s borders.”
*
It is evident from various past internal security issues
in India that it always adopted offensive stance in
blaming Pakistan without having any substantial proof.
In contrast, Pakistan remained unable to address
India's false blame at international level. At this time
Pakistani political and military elite took somewhat
quick and unitary response towards India's
Propaganda. Or else like every other time India would
have won the battle of narratives.