Norway's weak stance on Kashmir flayed.

MIRPUR -- A Norway-based prominent Kashmir leader Sardar Ali Shahnawaz Khan has reprimanded Norwegian Foreign Minister's weak stance on the latest deteriorating human rights conditions in Indian occupied Kashmir.

Referring Indian action of revoking special status of Jammu and Kashmir and imposing curfew, arresting the people, disconnection the telephone and internet in Indian occupied Kashmir, Norway's Foreign Minister Ine M. Eriksen Soreide in a statement issued from Oslo on Sunday said, the Indian authorities justified the security measures with a desire to prevent riots and violent clashes, says a message reaching and released to the media here Sunday evening.

Earlier, in a written question addressing the Foreign Minister Ine M. Eriksen Soreide, the parliament member Knut Arild Hareide from Christian Democratic Party (KrF) had asked her to give official stance regarding the situation in Indian formally occupied Kashmir.

Referring to Indian policy, Norway's FM further said, 'the Indian government explains the law amendment that the state's special position has been a source of national divide and an obstacle to growth and development. It is stated that it was never intended that the state's special position should be permanent.'

About international mediation between India and Pakistan, the FM said, the scope of action of external players is therefore limited in this context. She, however, emphasized that Norway has repeatedly called on India and Pakistan to enter into a dialogue to find a peaceful solution to the protracted conflict but said, a prerequisite for Norwegian involvement in the bilateral conflict is that if both parties want it.

In a statement reacting over Norwegian Foreign Minister's statement Ali Shahnawaz Khan, who also enjoys support from Hurriyat Conference and JKLF Chief Yasin Malik from Occupied Kashmir, he has been disappointed by Norway's weak stance on the Kashmir situation. It shows that the Minister is either ill-informed or unconcerned about the unprecedented lockdown of 8-million people in their homes since August 5. Kashmir is not a part of...