CALCUTTA: Home (Interior) Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed Wednesday warned Islamabad against exploiting and internationalizing the situation in the Kashmir valley in the volatile northern Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, which was now under control and “expected to improve in the coming days.”
Urging Pakistan to be careful in assessing India’s capability in defending its integrity, Mufti Sayeed said after the “bitter experiences” in 1947, 1965, and 1971 Pakistan has been trying to destabilize Kashmir.
The Home Minister during his one day visit to the metropolis addressed a crowded meet the press program, participated in a seminar and addressed a public meeting.
Asked whether the army generals in Pakistan were instigating Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto into launching another war against India, Mufti Sayeed said, “Since there is no one power center in Pakistan under the existing constitutional set-up, there is a race among them to rake up and politicize the Kashmir issue.”
He stressed that India had taken note of Bhutto’s utterances on Kashmir and denied her country’s charge that India had been violating the Shimla accord?” he asked.
The minister said, “our neighboring country’s involvement and its clandestine support” to terrorists and communal forces in Punjab and Kashmir has given a new dimension to the twin threats of communalism and terrorism, which pose a danger to the country’s security and are aimed at weakening it politically, economically and morally.
Ruling out the reinstallation of Farooq Abdullah of the national conference party as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti Sayeed said that the foremost task was to restore law and order before initiating the political process in the state.
He denied that the center had intentionally removed Abdullah. He said that the reappointment of Jagmohan as the governor of the state was “an excuse” for AbduIlah to resign.
There was no semblance of law and order during Abdullah’s chief minister ship, Mufti Sayeed said. “Mr. Jagmohan is doing a good job in restoring confidence among the people and re-establishing the authority of the administration.”
Article extracted from this publication >> February 9, 1990
