Balochistan has warned its neighbouring countries that it will write to the United Nations secretary-general about their interfere in the matters of the province, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported. Baloch Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Khan Zehri said parliamentarians will visit "friendly countries" to apprise them of the subject.
Zehri's remark gains significance in the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech during which he raised the topics of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and the alleged human rights violations by Pakistani forces in Balochistan. Zehri said, "All people of Balochistan strongly reacted to Narendra Modi's statements. We are not afraid of India. All the nefarious designs of enemies will be foiled at any cost."
The chief minister further said that the law and order situation in Balochistan had improved to a satisfactory level, and many youths had joined the mainstream, according to Dawn. He added that Modi's speech made it clear who was behind the unrest in Balochistan.
Moreover, Pakistan's Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will raise the Kashmir issue at the United Nations General Assembly session later this month. He added that Sharif had asked the UN to send a fact-finding mission to investigate the alleged human rights violations in the Valley.
Pakistan had earlier said that Modi had "crossed a red line" by talking about Balochistan. A spokesperson for Pakistan's Foreign Office, Nafees Zakaria, claimed that the Indian prime minister had violated a United Nations Charter by referring to the province and alleging that Pakistani forces have committed atrocities against the local population.
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