Pakistanis Not Unhappy, Treat Indians As Relatives, Says Sharad Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday said that people are not unhappy in Pakistan as against a common belief in India and that he received a very warm welcome on his visit to the neighbouring country.

He said the negative perception about Pakistan was a result of propaganda spread in India for political gains.

"People here say Pakistanis are facing injustice and are unhappy but it is not true. Such statements are being made only for political gains without understanding the actual situation in Pakistan," he said.

The former union minister said that he had visited Pakistan on several occasions where he warmly received as "Pakistanis believe that even if they can't go to India to meet their relatives, they treat an Indian as their relatives."

Tension between India and Pakistan spiked this year after the Pulwama terror attack in February in which 40 Central Reserve Police Force soldiers were killed. India had hit back at Pakistan with an airstrike on a terrorist base in Balakot.

The revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status also added to the strain with Pakistan raising the issue at several international forums.

Incidents of ceasefire violation, attempted infiltration through the borders of Jammu and Kashmir have only added to the tension.