Pakistan on Sunday rejected Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's accusations, saying that India was "trying to distract world attention from the atrocities perpetrated by its occupation forces" in India-administered Kashmir, the state-run radio service reported. Pakistan Foreign Office, in a statement, said Prime Minister Modi in a public meeting in Kerala "tried to malign Pakistan." "It is unfortunate that Indian leadership continues to indulge in a well thought out vilification campaign against Pakistan by making provocative statements and baseless accusations. Such irresponsible display of behavior at the highest political level is regrettable," the Foreign Office said. In his first speech since the Uri attack, Modi, addressing Pakistan, said: "We will isolate you. I will work for that." The Indian premier accused Pakistan of instigating terror attacks in Bangladesh and Afghanistan, and of trying to destabilize India by exporting terrorism. In the same breath, Modi challenged Pakistan to "fight a war on poverty and unemployment and see who wins first, India or Pakistan." "It is evident that, as an act of desperation, India is trying to distract world attention from the atrocities perpetrated" by its forces in Kashmir against "innocent and defenseless" Kashmiris, including children and women, the statement said. The "atrocities" in Kashmir intensified since the "extra-judicial killing of Kashmiri youth leader" Burhan Wani in July this year, it said of the slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander. Pakistan's reaction came after Prime Minister Modi launched a blistering attack on it Saturday in his first public address after last Sunday's deadly Uri terror attack. Modi said the sacrifice of 18 soldiers will not go in vain while all out efforts will be made to isolate Pakistan globally. "Terrorists should hear out clearly that India will never forget the Uri attack...I want to tell the leadership of Pakistan that the sacrifice of our 18 jawans will not go in vain," Modi told a public meeting on the Kozhikode beach held on the sidelines of the BJP national council meet. He said while countries in Asia are working to make the 21st century Asia's, Pakistan is engaged in a conspiracy of causing bloodshed across the continent by sponsoring terrorism and killing innocents. The Pakistan Foreign Office statement alleged, "In the last seventy-five days, Indian occupation forces have brutally martyred more than 100 Kashmiris, blinded hundreds and injured thousands." The Foreign Office claimed that the international community has taken notice of these "blatant human rights violations" with concerns expressed by several countries as well as UN and Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). It also accused India of continuing to sponsor terrorism in Pakistan through state apparatus. — Agencies
