NEW YORK – Malaysian PM Mahatir Muhammad had a surprise for Pakistanis inhis UNGA Speech when he hit out against India over invading an occupyingthe Kashmir region.

It came as a big surprise as no such sentiments and speeches were deliveredby either Saudi Arabia or Iran or other close allies of Pakistan in theGulf.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad minced no words in calling outIndia over the atrocities being committed in occupied Kashmir.

In his speech before the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, theMalaysian leader called India as invader and occupying the Kashmiri land.

He called for immediate settling the Kashmir dispute between India andPakistan through “peaceful means”.

The Malaysian premier regretted that despite the UN resolutions on Jammuand Kashmir, it has been ‘invaded and occupied’, saying there may bereasons for this action but it is still wrong.

“The problem must be solved through peaceful means,” Mahathir said adding,“Ignoring the UN would lead to other forms of disregard for the UN and therule of law.”

On the lingering question of Palestine, the Malaysian prime minister saidthe first action of the United Nations was the creation of the State ofIsrael, seizing Arab land and expelling 90 per cent of the Arab population.The result was terrorism when there was none before, or not on the presentscale, he said.

Mahathir acknowledged that Malaysia accepts Israel as a fait accompli butcannot accept Jewish settlements or occupation of Jerusalem.

Muslims, he said, are accused of terror even if they did nothing, theirStates are destabilized by regime change.