Government not afraid of JUI-F march but its timing is wrong, says Qureshi.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday said that the government was "absolutely not afraid" of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl's (JUI-F) upcoming 'Azaadi March'.

Talking to reporters in his hometown of Multan, the minister said: "It is their (JUI-F) democratic right but I had said earlier and I repeat that the timing is wrong, the date is not suitable."

"October 27 is the cursed and black day when India occupied Kashmir. It is the day when Indian forces invaded Kashmir, so the day is observed as a Black Day every year," he said.

Qureshi added: "The sentiments of the Kashmiri people will be hurt if the JUI-F links the day to domestic politics.

"The nation does not like their decision for October 27," he said, adding that in his opinion, there is no need for this protest because the international focus is already on Kashmir.

The conduct of opposition parties on the issue of Kashmir is their political need, the minister said.

Further talking about the Kashmir issue, he said, "I don't think that India is in position to allow anyone to visit [occupied] Kashmir, where they have imposed a curfew, where basic rights are suspended."

"US Senator Chris Van Hollen told me that he wanted to visit [occupied] Kashmir but he was denied permission," he said, adding that if everything was okay in occupied Kashmir than why he was denied permission.

The minister said that the senator also expressed his desire to visit Azad Jammu and Kashmir and he was facilitated in this regard. The minister made it clear that if anyone, particularly from the United Kingdom Parliament and the European Union want to visit the AJK, he or she will be facilitated.

He expressed his disappointment over the conduct...