India's refusal to independent investigation a matter of concern, says ex-US adviser
Pakistan
Former US adviser Watkins regrets that Indian premier Modi is politicising Pahalgam incident
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Former policy adviser of Barack Obama and global policy expert Laurie A. Watkins has said that India's refusal to allow an independent investigation into the Pahalgam incident is a matter of concern for the international community.
Ms Watkins was talking to DunyaNews anchor Mehr Bukhari on Wednesday night.
She was critical of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for politicising the Pahalgam incident for political mileage. “After the Pahalgam incident, India is pursuing war-driven policies,” she added.
The former US adviser regretted that despite failing to provide evidence against Pakistan, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and downgraded diplomatic relations.
The Indian prime minister talked about providing evidence of the Pahalgam incident but failed to do so, she stated.
She was appreciative of the role of regional powers Russia and China in the conflict between two nuclear-armed neighbours but regretted the US approach in resolving the dispute. Had the US played a minimal role in the conflict as compared to China, the tension would have been resolved, she added.
She criticised President Donald Trump who, she said, has been waging economic war in the world. The US president has slapped the friends and foes, including Pakistan and India, with high tariffs.
Ms Watkins said President Trump showed his tilt towards India. “The Trump administration is currently not focusing on the South Asian region,” she continued.
She criticised Secretary of State Marco Rubio who claimed that the US had been working with both India and Pakistan. She said the US must provide intelligence report to either of the two countries so that they could hold independent inquiry into the incident.
She was apprehensive of India’s handling of the issue and expressed the fear that Delhi could resort to military option against Pakistan.
Ms Watkins expressed the fear that Prime Minister Modi and his advisers might have been thinking that it could be the time to attack (Pakistan).
She lamented the role of US media in the escalation of tension between India and Pakistan. She admitted that she gathered information about the India-Pakistan conflict through foreign media.
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