Spreading "Deadly Virus Like Terrorism": PM On Pak At Non-Aligned Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday delivered a sharp takedown of Pakistan during a video address to the summit of the Non-Aligned Movement or NAM, pointing to its focus on terror even amid the coronavirus pandemic. Without naming Pakistan, PM Modi said: "Even as the world fights COVID19, some people are busy spreading some other deadly viruses such as terrorism, fake news and doctored videos to divide communities and countries".

Over the last weeks, as the world and India battles the highly contagious virus -- which has infected more than 3.5 million people and killed more than 2,40,000 -- Pakistan and the terror groups operating from its soil have remained active. In the last one month, more than a dozen encounters have taken place in which 22 security personnel have died in action.  

On Sunday, five security personnel were killed in action during an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Handwara. Two senior army officers - a colonel and a major- were among them.

On Monday, another terror attack took place in the same area, in which at least three jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force were killed and seven injured were injured. A patrolling party of the paramilitary forces was attacked by terrorists in Handwara, triggering a fierce gun-battle.

Pakistan also kept up the ceasefire violations, which have increased in frequency since the government announced its decision to withdraw the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate it into two union territories.

Last week, the Pakistan Army targeted Qasba, Kirni, Shapur and Mankote sectors of Poonch.

The spreading of fake news by shadow handles working at the behest of Pakistan is one of the reasons why high-speed internet cannot be restored in Jammu and Kashmir, the government has said.
At today's summit, the NAM Leaders "assessed the impact of COVID-19, identified needs and requirements for possible remedies and urged action-oriented follow-up measures," the government said.

"Following the Summit… the leaders also announced the creation of a 'Task Force' to identify needs and requirements of member States through the establishment of a common database reflecting their basic medical, social and humanitarian needs in the fight against COVID-19," a statement from the government read.