Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif (left) meets with his Indian counterpart in New York, September 29, 2013
On December 3-4, 2013, a war of words broke out between Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh over the issue of Kashmir. On December 3, at a meeting in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani Kashmir, Sharif reportedly said that the Kashmir issue could lead to a fourth war with India.
With this statement, Sharif virtually reversed all goodwill gestures between the two nuclear powers in recent years. A day later, as the media reported his statement, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reacted sharply with a statement to reporters, saying that Pakistan could never win such a war in his lifetime. Singh's statement was short and limited.
PM Sharif's office made an attempt at damage control by denying that he had made the statement and accusing the media of misreporting. However, the statement issued by his office does more harm than good, since it stated that Sharif's dream is to see a Kashmir free from "Indian occupation."[1]
The matter was further aggravated when Sharif's foreign policy advisor Sartaj Aziz, who holds the status of foreign minister as the portfolio of the foreign ministry is held by Sharif, joined the issue on December 4 and, according to a Pakistani media report, "declared the presence of Indian troops on the Siachen glacier [of Kashmir] as a threat to the environment and called on India to resolve this issue on priority basis by withdrawing its forces."[2]
Following are excerpts from a report on the issue in the Pakistani Dawn newspaper[3] and from an Indian media report on PM Singh's response to PM Sharif's statement:[4]
Dawn Report – Sharif: "Kashmir Also Remained Under Focus During My [October 23, 2013] Meeting With President Barack Obama [In Washington]"
"Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed his resolve here [in Muzaffarabad on December 3, 2013]... for early settlement of the Kashmir issue in accordance with UN resolutions and aspirations of the Kashmiris, warning that failure to resolve the dispute in a timely manner could lead to war. 'Kashmir is a flashpoint and can trigger a fourth war between the two nuclear powers at any time,' he said in his brief address to the budget session of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Council.
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"The council, which is a product of AJK's Interim Constitution Act of 1974, has its secretariat in Islamabad. It was for the first time its session was held in Muzaffarabad, where its Rupees 14.98 billion budget for the current fiscal year was approved. AJK President Sardar Yaqoob Khan, Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed, federal Minister for Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs Birjees Tahir, Minister of State for Commerce Khurram Dastgir Khan... [Pakistani lawmakers] Tariq Fazal and Marvi Memon and five of the six elected AJK Council members attended the meeting.
"Prime Minister Sharif said he had been vigorously highlighting the issue [of Kashmir] at the global level, and lately had presented the just stand of Kashmiri people at all international forums, including the UN General Assembly. 'Kashmir also remained under focus during my meeting with President Barack Obama [on October 23, 2013 in Washington DC],' he said. He said Pakistan did not want to indulge in an arms race and would implement the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC).
"Stating that AJK's development and prosperity was his priority, he also announced a number of ambitious plans to fulfil his commitment. 'I have a heartfelt attachment with Kashmir... It's as much important for me as other parts of the country and that's why I consider its development and prosperity my national duty.'"
"The prime minister also held a meeting with an eight-member delegation of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), led by Syed Yousuf Nasim. He paid tribute to the Kashmiris for their sacrifices and struggle to achieve the right of self-determination and said: 'Please convey my message to every Kashmiri that the government and people of Pakistan are with them in their just cause.'"
NDTV: A Statement From Sharif's "Office Said That He Has 'A Dream Of Seeing Held-Kashmir Free From The Indian Occupation And Desired That This Dream Could Turn Into Reality During His Lifetime'"
"After Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was reported as saying that Kashmir could trigger a fourth war with his country, Dr. Manmohan Singh reacted sharply, declaring, 'There is no chance of Pakistan winning any such war in my lifetime.'
"The controversy was carved open by the Dawn, a Pakistani daily, which reported today that during a visit to Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, Mr. Sharif said, 'Kashmir is a flashpoint and can trigger a fourth war between the two nuclear powers at any time.' Mr. Sharif's office denied the comment hours later, describing the newspaper article as 'incorrect and based on malafide intentions.'
"However, in a statement that's certain to serve as an irritant for India, Mr. Sharif's office said that he has 'a dream of seeing held-Kashmir free from the Indian occupation and desired that this dream could turn into reality during his lifetime.' His statement comes as both countries have been trying to rebuild relations.
"In recent months, the violations of the ceasefire along the de facto border or Line of Control in Kashmir have been the worst in nearly a decade. In September, Mr. Sharif met with Dr. Manmohan Singh at the UN General Assembly in New York and both leaders said they would ensure their military commanders work on restoring the ceasefire."
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