Imran Khan At UNGA: From Kashmir To Nuclear, How Pakistan PM Repeated His War Rhetoric

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan warned on Friday there would be a bloodbath when India lifts its curfew in Kashmir and that any all-out conflict between the two nuclear-armed nations would reverberate far beyond their borders.

Khan made the remarks in an impassioned speech to the annual United Nations General Assembly after India last month abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution.

Warns of nuclear war between India and Pakistan

“If a conventional war starts between the two countries ... anything could happen. But supposing a country seven times smaller than its neighbour is faced with the choice – either you surrender or you fight for your freedom till death?

“What will we do? I ask myself this question ... and we will fight. ... and when a nuclear-armed country fights to the end, it will have consequences far beyond the borders,” said Imran Khan.

'There will be bloodbath when curfew in Kashmir is lifted'

Imran Khan said there will be a bloodbath when the curfew in Kashmir is lifted. 

"Has PM Modi thought what would happen when the curfew in Kashmir is lifted? Do you think people in Kashmir would accept that you have withdrawn the special status? Thousands of children in Kashmir have been put under detention. They, too, will come out on the streets after the curfew in the state is lifted and the Army will shoot them. Today also we hear about pellet guns being used by the Indian Army. But whatever happens in Kashmir after the curfew is lifted, there will be another terror attack like Pulwama and Pakistan will be blamed," Imran Khan said.

'RSS believes in ethnic cleansing of Muslims' 

"The RSS believes in the ethnic cleansing of Muslims. The RSS goons butchered hundreds of Muslims. This is arrogance. This makes people do cruel things. Something PM Modi has done. Arrogance has blinded PM Modi," Khan said.

'Islamophobia created a division'

"There are 1.3 billion Muslims in this world. Millions of Muslims are living in the US and European countries as minorities. Islamophobia, since 9/11 has grown at an alarming pace. Human communities are supposed to live together with understanding among each other but Islamophobia is creating a division," Pakistan PM Imran Khan said.

"Muslim women wearing hijabs has become an issue in some countries as if a hijab is some kind of weapon. This is happening because of Islamophobia," Imran Khan said.

"Imran Khan said that after 9/11 attack, Islamophobia grew at an arming rate. Why did it start? Because certain western leaders equated terrorism with Islam, calling it Islamic terrorism and radical Islam. What is radical Islam? There is only one Islam," Imran Khan said.

'Terrorism has no religion'

"This Islamic radicalism has been the main reason behind Islamophobia. This has caused pain to Muslims," Imran Khan said.

Imran Khan said that marginalisation of Muslims in European countries is leading to radicalisation making people end up as militants in Syria and other nations.

"No religion preaches radicalism. The basis of all religions is compassion and justice," Imran Khan said.

'Tamil Tigers, who were Hindus, carried out suicide attacks' 

Imran Khan said that before 9/11 majority of suicide attacks in the world were carried out by Tamil Tigers who were Hindus. 

“No one blamed Hinduism. And it's quite right. What has Hinduism got to do with what desperate people were doing in Sri Lanka?" Imran Khan said.Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan warned on Friday there would be a bloodbath when India lifts its curfew in disputed Kashmir and that any all-out conflict between the two nuclear-armed nations would reverberate far beyond their borders.

(With agency inputs)