New Delhi: Continuing with their nefarious agenda to internationalise the Kashmir issue in and outside Pakistan, Vice-Admiral Athir Muhthar, the Pakistani ambassador to the Maldives, has stated that the Muslim Ummah needed to work to find a solution to the Kashmir issue.
Marking the Kashmir Solidarity Day on Saturday, Pakistan Embassy in Maldives took to Twitter and said, “Today we mark #KashmirSolidarityDay, in Pakistan and across the world to reiterate our resolve to stand by our Kashmiri brethren and sisters against illegal Indian oppression by extending all political, moral and diplomatic support. #KashmiriLivesMatter
This statement comes at a time when the anti-India campaign has been boiling up in the archipelago, led by former President Abdulla Yameen whose proximity with Chinese President Xi Jinping has not been a secret. But the current ruling government in the Maldives has been very critical of these protests led by Yameen and is likely to come up with a bill that will propose a fine of 20,000 Maldivian Rufiyah, and six-month imprisonment or one-year house arrest, for those who insinuate that the Maldives is under the political, economic or military control of another country.
It is pertinent to note that Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Thursday delivered his address at the opening session of the Maldives Parliament and highlighted India's role in the country's development.
Recalling India's help in the development of Addu city, the president said, "Currently, with the line of credit provided by India’s Exim Bank, roadwork is being carried out to rectify the flooding problem in the city,” while pointing out that the city's development is “crucial for the development of the rest of the country.”
In lieu of this, it is worthy to note here that last year, EAM Dr Jaishankar visited the archipelago during a meeting with his counterpart Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid, announced the signing of a $500-million infrastructure project for the construction of the Greater Male connectivity Project (GMCP). The Maldives government officially signed an agreement with Mumbai-based company AFCONS,
Highlighting Maldives positive forecasts by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that the Maldives would be amongst the top five fastest-growing economies in 2022, President Solih in his address noted that in December their country repaid the $250 million swap facility taken from India's RBI. The facility was taken in July 2019 to help manage the state's reserve.
