Opposition corners Pak for insulting Indian Army by glorifying Wani

Cutting across party lines, the Shiv Sena and Congress on Thursday criticised Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for his 'ridiculous and frivolous' statement glorifying slain Hizbul Mujahideeen commander Burhan Wani and said that the hostile neighbour was doing nothing but making a mockery of itself.

"I think Pakistan doesn't realise that it makes a mockery of itself and of its country when its Prime Minister makes such frivolous and ridiculous statements. There doesn't appear to be minority of one or two countries in the world who believe in the sincerity of Pakistan's statements," Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi told ANI in the national capital.

"The biggest exporter of terrorism in the world is talking about proclaimed terrorists in a laudable and praiseworthy format. And talking of Kashmir's right to self determination, while conducting terrorist attacks in that area. I think Pakistan should realise that it makes itself the laughing stock of the world when it does so," he added.

Echoing similar sentiments, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said that Pakistan has insulted the Indian Army by calling Wani a people's leader, adding New Delhi must, therefore, give a befitting reply to Islamabad and end all its relations with the hostile neighbour.

"It has always been the policy of Pakistan to internationalise the Kashmir issue. Yesterday also it said that Burhan Wani was a people's leader. Wani was a terrorist and is a terrorist for us. He was killed by the Indian Army because he was a militant. Therefore, by calling him a people's leader, Pakistan has insulted the Indian Army," Raut told ANI.

"Pakistan has been trying to raise the Kashmir issue on the global platform, but the UN has never accepted that. India will now have to take such a step so that Pakistan never opens up its mouth about Kashmir in UN. And it cannot happen through talks only. We have to take action. The Indian Government wants to isolate Pakistan globally. It should now end all its relations with them. The Pakistan High Commission that is there in New Delhi should be closed. Basit should be sent back to Islamabad. We should not have any kind of relations with Pakistan," he added.

Prime Minister Sharif raised the Kashmir bogey at the UNGA calling Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani a "young leader" murdered by the Indian forces. He also said Pakistan will continue to support voices in Kashmir for self-determination.

"Burhan Wani, the young leader murdered by Indian forces, has emerged as the symbol of the latest Kashmiri Intifada, a popular and peaceful freedom movement, led by Kashmiris," Sharif said in his address at the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

The Prime Minister also extended support to the demands of Kashmiri people for self determination and called on the UN Security Council to hold free and fair plebiscite.

"The Security Council has called for the exercise of the right to self- determination by the people of Jammu and Kashmir through a free and fair plebiscite held under the UN auspices. The Security Council must honour its commitments by implementing its own decisions," he said.

He further demanded an independent inquiry and a UN fact finding mission to investigate the situation in Kashmir.