Ahead of Barack Obama Visit, Pakistan Talks Border Violence, Terror

New Delhi: 

Ahead of US President Barack Obama's visit to India, Pakistan made an attempt to introduce the Kashmir issue again. The US President, it said, should "take up the issue" of the violence at the Jammu and Kashmir border, "in which many innocent Pakistanis and Kashmiris have been martyred."

A statement from Pakistan's foreign ministry also said reports in Indian media about the likelihood of terror attacks similar to the one in Chittisinghpura ahead of former US President Bill Clinton's visit were "comical".

An independent commission found that the "so called terrorists from Pakistan were five Kashmiri youths who were picked up from homes, shot and their bodies were burnt and then buried," said Tasnim Aslam, spokesperson of the Pakistan's ministry of foreign affairs.

"This was done by the Indian security forces just to create a spectre of terrorism on the eve of US President's visit," the spokesperson said.

On March 20, 2000, 35 Sikhs were shot down in the Anantnag village by Lashkar-eTaiba terrorists. The attack had taken place during Mr Clinton's visit. In 2010, Lashkar associate David Headley had admitted to the National Investigation Agency that Lashkar had carried out the attack.

President Obama is visiting Delhi on the occasion of the Republic Day Parade in which he is the chief guest. At the risk of snubbing Pakistan, he is not visiting Islamabad. Ahead of the visit, the US has warned Pakistan to ensure that no cross-border terror incidents take place during the trip and subtly warned of "consequences" if any such attack is traced back to the country.

Last year, Pakistan repeatedly attempted to raise the Kashmir issue in international forum. Not only did Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif demand a resolution at the UN General Assembly in September, he also wrote to UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon, asking for intervention.

Pakistan had matched its verbal aggression with repeated ceasefire violations. And though every time Indian troops has retaliated, so far, many lives have been lost and several thousands of villagers have been made homeless in the border villages in Jammu.

Pakistan claims the Indian firing, in which several persons died, has been unprovoked.