Sharif refused to condemn Uri attack despite US, UK prodding

When the US and the UK asked Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to condemn the attack on the Indian Army camp at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir, he flatly refused to denounce the assault.

According to the News International, both the world powers asked Sharif to condemn the attack, which left 19 Indian soldiers dead, during the premier's meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry and British Prime Minister Theresa May at the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

According to sources, Sharif instead countered the two leaders over their silence regarding the unrest in the Kashmir Valley since July 9, which has claimed the lives of nearly 90 persons.

The sources said Sharif maintained that Islamabad could not condemn the attack, which India has blamed on Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad militant group, and the death of the security personnel when "India had no regret over its atrocities and brutalities" in the valley.

Sharif said that the world, including London and Washington, had turned a blind eye to the killing of Kashmiris in clashes with the security forces after the killing of Hizbul militant Burhan Wani in July.

Pakistan categorically rejected the Indian allegations of Islamabad's involvement in the Uri attack.

However, the Prime Minister said that Pakistan offered full cooperation to probe the incident as it believed the attack was either an "Indian false flag operation" carried out to malign Pakistan and divert the world attention from Kashmir issue or it was a "retaliatory attack by the oppressed Kashmiris who are facing the worst form of brutalities from the Indian state terrorism".

"With such a clear stance on Kashmir, expecting from the Pakistani premier to condemn the Uri attack and killing of Indian soldiers is really unfair and irrational," another source said.

--IANS

py/vt