PTI
UNITED NATIONS
In its sharpest attack on Pakistan, India on Thursday called it a"terrorist state" which carries out"war crimes" by using terrorism as an"instrument of state policy", after Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif glorified Hizbul commander Burhan Wani at the United Nations.
India also strongly rejected Sharif's call for"a serious and sustained" bilateral dialogue"without any conditions", saying that Pakistan, which"seems to be run by a war machine rather than a government", wants talks with a"gun in its hand".
Strongly reacting to Sharif's remarks at the UN General Assembly session, Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar described them as full of"threat, bluster and complete disregard of facts" as he said glorification of Wani by him at the world forum is an act of"self-incrimination" by Pakistan.
"We heard the glorification of a terrorist. Burhan Wani was a self-declared commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, this organisation is widely acknowledged internationally as a terrorist group," said Akbar.
Akbar said,"Pakistan at this moment seems to be run by a war machine rather than a government.
Pakistan wants dialogue while holding a terrorist gun in its hand. Talks and guns don't go together.
"Our position on a dialogue has been consistent. We have always been ready for a dialogue but we will not succumb to the blackmail tactics of the government in Islamabad that seems eager to use terrorists and terrorism as policy."
Sharif had said that Islamabad is open to discuss"all measures of restraint and responsibility" with India, in"any forum or format and without any conditions" but blamed India for posing"unacceptable preconditions" to engage in a dialogue.