PNS Alamgir carried banner that said, 'WE LOST OUR SIGHT IN KASHMIR: World Must Not'

During Dogu Akdeniz, a Pakistan-Turkey naval exercise in the Mediterranean Sea between November 9 and 21, the PNS Alamgir carried a banner that said, "WE LOST OUR SIGHT IN KASHMIR: World Must Not.". Pakistan begins another propaganda offensive over Kashmir

New Delhi: Aware that its efforts to play up the Kashmir issue has failed internationally, Pakistan has begun a new propaganda offensive that Indian naval officials say is highly unethical.

On two separate occasions, Pakistan has played the Kashmir card during international maritime events. During Dogu Akdeniz, a Pakistan-Turkey naval exercise in the Mediterranean Sea between November 9 and 21, the PNS Alamgir, a guided missile frigate and formerly with the US Navy, carried a banner that said, "WE LOST OUR SIGHT IN KASHMIR: World Must Not." The banner carried a photograph of Kashmiris allegedly injured in pellet-gun attacks. 

On another occasion, in Bahrain during the International Maritime Exercise, the PNS Shamsheer, a Chinese-built frigate, had the flag of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) draped on its side, and its senior officers were photographed standing at attention in front of it. The exercise was organised by the US Navy.

A government official called such displays "highly unethical". Such political sloganeering on a man-o-war during an international exercise never happen, the official said. India is also likely to take up the issue and the Ministry of External Affairs has been informed. Repeated efforts by Pakistan to internationalise the Kashmir issue have failed, beginning with its effort, with China's help, in the UN Security Council. The efforts in Geneva at the UN also did not succeed. Frustrated, the Pakistan PM claimed that the world was not criticising India because it was a large market, failing to recognise that his government's support to terrorists was actually the reason.