ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz demanded an international probe into the Uri attack, Radio Pakistan reported on Monday.

In an interview with BBC Urdu, Aziz alleged that India always starts accusing Pakistan immediately after any attack without waiting for an investigation into the matter.

Therefore, he said, "an independent international commission should be constituted to unearth the facts".

It is not the first time India has levelled 'baseless allegations' against Pakistan, the adviser said.

Any such attack neither benefits Pakistan, nor Kashmir, Aziz said, adding that the attack diverts the world's attention from human rights violations committed by Indian forces in India-held Kashmir (IHK).

Tensions between Pakistan and India have been running high since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July sparked anti-government protests in IHK, with over 80 people dead in clashes between protesters and Indian authorities.

Aziz's remarks come as Pakistan and India face off at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) over the unrest in Kashmir.

Earlier this month, 18 Indian soldiers were killed when heavily-armed suspected militants attacked the Uri army base in IHK just days before PM Nawaz was set to address the UNGA. India accused Pakistan of involvement in the attack.

Nawaz Sharif in his UNGA speech maintained that Pakistan wants peace with India but it is "not possible without resolving the Kashmir issue". The premier urged the UN to demilitarise Jammu and Kashmir and called for steps to implement UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir.

India, exercising its right of reply, termed Pakistan a 'terrorist state' in a strongly-worded rebuttal, accusing it of 'sponsoring terrorism'.

In his first speech since the Uri attack, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to isolate Pakistan in the world.

Pakistan maintains support for Kashmiris' right to self-determination in accordance with UN resolutions and has called for a UN fact-finding mission to investigate human rights violations in IHK.

The Foreign Office has also said Pakistan is open to the idea of the UN High Commissioner visiting Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Opinion

Editorial

Military convictions
Updated 22 Dec, 2024

Military convictions

Pakistan’s democracy, still finding its feet, cannot afford such compromises on core democratic values.
Need for talks
22 Dec, 2024

Need for talks

FOR a long time now, the country has been in the grip of relentless political uncertainty, featuring the...
Vulnerable vaccinators
22 Dec, 2024

Vulnerable vaccinators

THE campaign to eradicate polio from Pakistan cannot succeed unless the safety of vaccinators and security personnel...
Strange claim
Updated 21 Dec, 2024

Strange claim

In all likelihood, Pakistan and US will continue to be ‘frenemies'.
Media strangulation
Updated 21 Dec, 2024

Media strangulation

Administration must decide whether it wishes to be remembered as an enabler or an executioner of press freedom.
Israeli rampage
21 Dec, 2024

Israeli rampage

ALONG with the genocide in Gaza, Israel has embarked on a regional rampage, attacking Arab and Muslim states with...