External Affairs minister S Jaishankar launched a scathing attack on his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari today, saying that “as a promoter, justifier and a spokesperson of the terrorism industry, his position on the menace was called out at the SCO meeting.”
“Pakistan’s credibility in dealing with terrorism is depleting even faster than their forex reserves.”
“Victims of terrorism do not sit together with perpetrators of terrorism to discuss terrorism,” Jaishankar said in response to a question whether there could be talks between India and Pakistan on combating the menace of terrorism.
Following the SCO summit talks, the External Affairs minister also asserted that Jammu and Kashmir “was, is and will” always be part of India.
Zardari is in India merely as foreign minister of an SCO member state, and people should not see it as anything more than that, Jaishankar said.
As a foreign minister of an SCO member state, Bhutto Zardari was treated accordingly, he added.
As for the question of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the minister said India is very clear on its stated position that “connectivity is good for progress, but it cannot violate the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states.”
Earlier today, India and Pakistan made veiled jibes at each other at the SCO meeting.
While Jaishankar demanded strict action against cross-border terrorism, Zardari called for “not getting caught up in weaponising terrorism for diplomatic point-scoring”.
It may be noted here that SCO rules are clear against participants raking up bilateral issues. Hence, Jaishankar and Zardari did not name any country and made their comments indirectly.
The menace of terrorism continued unabated, Jaishakar said in a disguised reference to Pakistan. “We must not allow anybody — individual or State — to hide behind non-State actors,” he said.
On his part, Zardari made a veiled reference to the Kashmir issue, saying that “unilateral and illegal measures by States in violation of international law and Security Council resolutions run counter to the SCO objectives.”
Observers saw this as a reference to India’s repeal of Article 370 which ended Kashmir’s special status.
