Imran Khan says better chance of peace with India if BJP wins general elections
Islamabad: Pakistan's Premier Imran Khan has said he believes there may be a better chance of peace talks with India and settle the Kashmir issue if Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party BJP wins the general elections.
India will go to elections in seven phases beginning from Thursday.
"Perhaps if the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)....wins, some kind of settlement in Kashmir could be reached," Khan told a small group of foreign journalists in an interview.
He said other parties would be afraid of right-wing backlash in case of settlement on the Kashmir issue.
Khan said Kashmir was the central issue between the two countries.
India maintains that the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country and Pakistan is in illegal occupation of a part of the state's territory.
Tensions flared up between India and Pakistan after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) killed 40 CRPF personnel in Kashmir's Pulwama district on February 14.
Amid mounting outrage, the Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out a counter-terror operation, hitting the biggest JeM training camp in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26. The next day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 in an aerial combat and captured an IAF pilot, who was handed over to India on March 1.
Khan has said that Pakistan was taking action against all militants groups including the JeM.
Khan said that groups like the JeM were being disarmed under a serious drive to eliminate militancy from Pakistan.
"We have taken the religious schools of these groups under state control. It is first serious effort to disarm the militant outfits, he said.
Khan said action was taken because it was important for the future of Pakistan. He also rejected the impression that Pakistan was compelled by the world to taken such an action.
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Hindutva leader Manju Kola stabbed during ‘compromise meeting’ at Malpe; Five arrested
Udupi: Manju Kola, husband of former Udupi City Municipal Council Vice-President Lakshmi Manjunath and a Hindutva organisation leader, was stabbed during a meeting held to settle a dispute related to a love affair at Malpe on Tuesday night.
Police have arrested five accused in connection with the case.
According to information available, Manju Kola had reportedly called for a compromise meeting near Malpe beach in the Palimaru area on Tuesday evening to resolve an issue involving a couple. During the discussion, a heated argument broke out and a youth allegedly stabbed Manju Kola.
He sustained injuries to his abdomen and collapsed. He was immediately shifted to a private hospital in Udupi for treatment.
Udupi Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar said that five accused have been arrested in the case. As per preliminary investigation, the incident appears to have occurred due to personal reasons. He clarified that there is no communal angle to the incident and urged the public not to spread rumours.
The injured Manju Kola is out of danger and his condition is stable, the SP said.
