'Terror industry promoter's positions called out': Jaishankar on Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in Goa
In an exclusive interview to India Today TV, Bhutto Zardari said that India violated international commitment with the removal of special status for Jammu and Kashmir.
- May 5, 2023,
- Updated May 5, 2023 9:25 PM IST
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who was present at the SCO meet in Goa, was treated as a foreign minister of an SCO member state.
He added that not much should be read into it Bhutto Zardari’s India visit.
“As a Foreign Minister of an SCO member state, Mr Bhutto Zardari was treated accordingly. As a promoter, justifier and spokesperson of a terrorism industry which is the mainstay of Pakistan, his positions were called out and countered including at the SCO meeting itself,” the minister said in a briefing in Panaji. On Bhutto Zardari's comments on tackling terrorism, Jaishankar said Pakistan's credibility in dealing with is depleting even faster than their forex reserves.
He added: “He (Bhutto) came here as a foreign minister of a member state. Please don’t see it as anything else,” he stressed.
Bhutto Zardari arrived in India on Thursday to attend the SCO meet that was held in Goa from May 4 to 5. Bhutto's visit to India was the first by a Pakistani affairs foreign minister since Hina Rabbani Khar met India’s former EAM SM Krishna in 2011.
The ongoing SCO foreign ministers meet witnessed both India and Pakistan attacking each other on the issue of cross-border terrorism.
In an exclusive interview to India Today TV, Bhutto Zardari said that India violated international commitment with the removal of special status for Jammu and Kashmir. "Unless India reviews the action it took on August 5, 2019 (abrogation of Article 370), Pakistan is not in a position to engage bilaterally with India," he said.
Reacting to this, Jaishankar rapped his Pakistani counterpart for bringing up the issue of abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Article 370 is history. Wake up and smell the coffee," Jaishankar said while addressing the press after the conclusion of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting in Goa.
Speaking about Pakistan’s objection to G20 meetings in J&K, Jaishankar said the country has nothing to do either with the summit or with Srinagar and Kashmir. “They have nothing to do with the G20, nothing to do with even Srinagar and Kashmir. They should talk about when they will vacate the illegally occupied territories of Jammu and Kashmir,” Jaishankar said.
Earlier in the day at the gathering which included Pakistani and Chinese foreign ministers, Jaishankar emphasised on the need to respect sovereignity and territorial integrity in the context of connectivity projects.
India has for long opposed the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) since it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Also read: CBI searches 7 locations linked to Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal in alleged bank fraud case
Also read: Sharad Pawar takes back his resignation as NCP chief, says 'will work with renewed vigour'
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who was present at the SCO meet in Goa, was treated as a foreign minister of an SCO member state.
He added that not much should be read into it Bhutto Zardari’s India visit.
“As a Foreign Minister of an SCO member state, Mr Bhutto Zardari was treated accordingly. As a promoter, justifier and spokesperson of a terrorism industry which is the mainstay of Pakistan, his positions were called out and countered including at the SCO meeting itself,” the minister said in a briefing in Panaji. On Bhutto Zardari's comments on tackling terrorism, Jaishankar said Pakistan's credibility in dealing with is depleting even faster than their forex reserves.
He added: “He (Bhutto) came here as a foreign minister of a member state. Please don’t see it as anything else,” he stressed.
Bhutto Zardari arrived in India on Thursday to attend the SCO meet that was held in Goa from May 4 to 5. Bhutto's visit to India was the first by a Pakistani affairs foreign minister since Hina Rabbani Khar met India’s former EAM SM Krishna in 2011.
The ongoing SCO foreign ministers meet witnessed both India and Pakistan attacking each other on the issue of cross-border terrorism.
In an exclusive interview to India Today TV, Bhutto Zardari said that India violated international commitment with the removal of special status for Jammu and Kashmir. "Unless India reviews the action it took on August 5, 2019 (abrogation of Article 370), Pakistan is not in a position to engage bilaterally with India," he said.
Reacting to this, Jaishankar rapped his Pakistani counterpart for bringing up the issue of abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Article 370 is history. Wake up and smell the coffee," Jaishankar said while addressing the press after the conclusion of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting in Goa.
Speaking about Pakistan’s objection to G20 meetings in J&K, Jaishankar said the country has nothing to do either with the summit or with Srinagar and Kashmir. “They have nothing to do with the G20, nothing to do with even Srinagar and Kashmir. They should talk about when they will vacate the illegally occupied territories of Jammu and Kashmir,” Jaishankar said.
Earlier in the day at the gathering which included Pakistani and Chinese foreign ministers, Jaishankar emphasised on the need to respect sovereignity and territorial integrity in the context of connectivity projects.
India has for long opposed the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) since it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Also read: CBI searches 7 locations linked to Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal in alleged bank fraud case
Also read: Sharad Pawar takes back his resignation as NCP chief, says 'will work with renewed vigour'