Srinagar, Sept 4: The European Foundation for South Asian Studies (EFSAS) has started operations in Srinagar, with its Director Junaid Qureshi stressing the need for a strong, evidence-based narrative on Jammu and Kashmir.
“India is the legal owner of J&K and needs to build its own narrative,” Qureshi said, highlighting the think tank’s long-standing research on terrorism, Indo-Pak ties, and Kashmir. He underlined the importance of data-driven studies and engaging the youth, who he described as “confused” and in need of clarity.
Qureshi also lashed out at Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir for allegedly making reckless nuclear threats during his US visit. “Threatening to wipe out half the world is foolish and irresponsible,” he said, adding that the military has no constitutional authority to decide on nuclear deployment, which lies with the civilian government.
On US-Pakistan ties, Qureshi argued that Washington’s goodwill toward Islamabad is driven by strategic goals related to Iran and China, not India-Pak relations. He accused Pakistan of playing a “double game” for decades—funding terrorist groups for strategic leverage while also taking Western aid to fight them.
Warning of fallout from this renewed US-Pakistan engagement, Qureshi said it could embolden Islamabad to escalate terrorism in Kashmir, serving China’s interest in keeping India distracted. He cited the recent Pahalgam terror attack as evidence, calling it an attempt to derail tourism and peace in the Valley.
“Tourism is falling, terrorism is rising, and common Kashmiris are paying the price,” he remarked, stressing that the violence is “imported from outside” and not homegrown. He added that PM Modi’s efforts to boost tourism while reducing militancy were being undermined by such attacks.
On the broader Kashmir dispute, Qureshi said Pakistan would continue lobbying for third-party mediation, but without India’s consent, such efforts would remain symbolic. “India’s position has always been clear—no external mediation,” he said.
