Islamabad: Pakistan has rejected the “unwarranted remarks” made by the Official Spokesperson of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) about the recent joint press conference of the Foreign Ministers of Pakistan and Germany during the official visit of FM Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to Berlin.
In a joint press conference, both the Foreign Ministers agreed that there was a role and responsibility of the international community as well as a need for intensified efforts from the United Nations concerning a peaceful and just resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
During the press conference, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock had said: “Germany also has a role and responsibility with regard to the situation in Kashmir. Therefore, we support intensively the engagement of the United Nations, to find peaceful resolutions in the region.”
In reaction to her comments, Indian EAM spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that the global community had a responsibility to “call out international terrorism, especially of a cross-border nature” in an apparent reference to Pakistan.
Our response to media queries on comments regarding Jammu and Kashmir during recent joint press conference of the Foreign Ministers of Germany and Pakistanhttps://t.co/sZZ88zfQVa pic.twitter.com/K3hqhLZbjM
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) October 8, 2022
He went on to say that the UN Security Council and FATF were still pursuing Pakistan-based terrorists involved in the horrific 26/11 attacks, adding that when states do not recognize such dangers, either because of “self-interest or indifference”, they undermine the cause of peace, not promote it.
Soon after, the Pakistani spokesperson issued a statement, calling out the “gratuitous remarks” of the Indian spokesperson.
“The MEA’s gratuitous remarks have exposed the desperation of a country that finds itself increasingly isolated on the issue of its illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir and the reprehensible human rights violations being perpetrated by its ruthless occupation force in the occupied territory,” the statement read.
The statement added that no amount of obfuscation would change the reality of its repression in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
“India’s credentials as a purveyor of state-terrorism in the IIOJK and as an instigator of cross-border terrorism in Pakistan need no reiteration. Hollow denials and evasion of responsibility will no longer cover-up India’s mischievous strategy of posing as a ‘ victim’ of terrorism while shifting blame elsewhere,” it said.
Regarding Pakistan’s achievements and contribution to the cause of counterterrorism, the statement said that they were “globally acknowledged”.
It said that rather than making preposterous remarks about statements made by FMs, India would do well to introspect and address the international community’s valid concerns and mend its conduct in the IIOJK.
“Pakistan urges the international community, particularly human rights and humanitarian organizations to condemn India’s barbaric state-terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and ensure that Kashmiris are given their right to self-determination as enshrined in the relevant UNSC resolutions and as per their own wishes,” it further said.
