MULTAN    -   Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Sunday night said the whole nation of 220 million stood behind the armed forces who were fully prepared to counter any aggression by India.

He said the Islamic history was replete with the successes of Muslims against their enemies despite being short in numbers or having limited resources.

Quoting the Battle of Baddar and the Birds Fight against Elephants, he said Pakistan had an army of 220 million people, including the youth, students, labourers, farmers and others, who were at the back of their forces.

Qureshi was addressing a public meeting here at Rangeelpur, where local politician Rana Sajjad Hameed and his group joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The foreign minister said “There is no need to be worried or disappointed as the Almighty always gives His blessings to the believers.”

India, he said, had on many occasions promised at the United Nations that it would act upon its resolutions and hold a referendum in the occupied valley.

He said the Modi government had even lost the support of pro-Indian leaders of held Kashmir, including Mehbooba Mufti and others, who were terming abrogation of Article 370 of Indian constitution a historic betrayal to the Kashmiris.

Qureshi said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was afraid of Kashmiris’ reaction and that was why he was not lifting curfew in the valley.

Had the Modi government courage, it should lift curfew and see how the people of held Kashmir would respond by coming into the streets, he added.

The foreign minister said today the people across the world were discussing the Jammu and Kashmir issue. American senators were writing letters to President Trump and urging him to play a role for resolving the dispute, he added.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, he said, in an interview to a reputed world news channel stated that the world could not be a silent spectator as the two nuclear powers were on the verge of war.

Qureshi said he had presented Pakistan’s stance in Geneva, which was supported by 58 countries.

The whole world was criticising the Modi government and increasing pressure to stop human rights violations in the occupied Jammu and Kashmir, he said, adding the international media was also highlighting the atrocities being perpetrated by the Indian forces in the valley.

He said the prime minister would present Kashmiris case in his address to the UN General Assembly on September 27 and expose the Modi government’s agenda of converting the Muslim majority into a minority in the held state.

He said Pakistan also raised the Jammu and Kashmir issue at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and informed its members that the Modi government was not allowing Kashmiri Muslims to perform their religious rituals.

Irrespective of the fact that whether the other countries supported the Kashmiris or not Pakistan would continue to raise its voice for their right to self-determination and extend them its full support, he added.

He lauded the Kashmiris for their courage and high morale as they were braving standing like a rock against Indian brutalities.

Qureshi said there was a clear division among the Indian people as many of them were raising their voice against human rights violations in the held valley.

About 14 petitions had been filed with the Indian Supreme Court over held Kashmir and its decision would show whether it was an independent court or working under the influence of Modi government, he added.

Qureshi said the PTI government was exposing the RSS face of Modi government before the world.

The Jammu and Kashmir issue was discussed at the United Nations Security Council after 54 years due to its successful diplomacy, he added.

The minister on the occasion welcomed local leaders on being part of the PTI and said the government would not disappoint them.

Provincial Minister for Energy Dr Akhtar Malik, Federal Parliamentary Secretary on Finance Makhdoom Zain Hussain Qureshi, MPA Javed Akhtar Ansari and hundreds of PTI workers were also present on this occasion.