india-slams-china-pak-for-raking-up-kashmir-issue

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday asserted that Kashmir will always stay a part of India regardless of any statements issued by anyone.

The MEA was responding to the joint statement issued by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, and Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Wednesday, during the latter's visit to Islamabad for the SCO summit.

Both leaders had reiterated their stance on the Kashmir issue, insisting it should be resolved in accordance with international  law and bilateral agreements. 

“On Kashmir’s issue, you know our stand. Kashmir is ours and will remain ours. This is our statement, and this is our stand. If someone says something, it doesn’t change anything,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during a press briefing on Thursday.

The MEA also said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar did not hold any bilateral meetings with the Pakistani side and that his recent visit to Islamabad was only for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Council of Heads of Government meeting.

Jaiswal added that Jaishankar did not hold any bilateral meetings with any country except for Mongolia.

The MEA Spokesperson said, “When EAM was about to travel to Islamabad, we had stated that this particular visit was for the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting. Beyond that in Islamabad, the only bilateral EAM had was with Mongolia.”

On Wednesday, while addressing the representatives of the countries of SCO, Jaishankar termed cross-border terrorism, extremism, and separatism as the “three evils” that hinder trade and people-to-people relations between countries.

While taking an indirect jibe at Pakistan in Islamabad, he said that due to activities from across the border that are characterised by terrorism, extremism, and separatism, they are “hardly likely to encourage trade, energy flows, connectivity, and people-to-people exchanges in parallel.”

The EAM, who has since returned to Delhi, has thanked PM Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar for their hospitality in a post on X.