UNITED NATIONS: After being exposed in the UN General Assembly last week by Foreign Minister Sharifuddin Pirzada on self-determination for Kashmir and New Delhi’s brutal occupation of the State, Indian Foreign Minister Sardar Swaran Singh yesterday [Oct 7] decided to evade a debate with Pakistan on Kashmir and Indo-Pakistan relations in general.

In his long “major policy address” delivered before the UN General Assembly he religiously avoided mention of the Tashkent Declaration or any aspect of relations between India and Pakistan. He was fearful lest Pirzada expose Indian duplicity once again.

Besides, Swaran’s total silence on Kashmir is part of Indian tactics to prevent any discussion of this dispute in the United Nations. Indians feel uncomfortable and embarrassed whenever Kashmir is raised in the United Nations. Having flouted every single resolution of the United Nations on Kashmir, India is ashamed to face the world body on this issue.

An amusing consequence of Swaran Singh’s lack of courage to talk about Indo-Pakistan relations yesterday was that he completely ignored the Tashkent Declaration which could not have pleased the Russians too much, for many UN delegations to the General Assembly while reviewing the events of the past year have mentioned Tashkent as a step for peace in South Asia and congratulated the Soviet Union for it. — Correspondent

[Meanwhile, as reported by our Correspondent from Rawalpindi,] President Cevdet Sunay of Turkey and President Ayub Khan today had “free and frank” discussions on matters of mutual interest for over one hour. Soon after the talks the Presidents flew to Peshawar.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2016