When does Pakistan vacate its illegal occupation of PoK is only issue to discuss: Jaishankar

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India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday said that there is only one issue to discuss with Pakistan on Kashmir - that is when does Pakistan vacate its illegal occupation of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Addressing a press conference after a meeting of Foreign Ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) here, he said that Jammu and Kashmir was, is and will always be a part of India.

"G-20 meetings are held in all the states and Union Territories of India. They (Pakistan) have nothing to do with G-20 and also with Srinagar. There is only one issue to discuss on Kashmir that when does Pakistan vacate its illegal occupation of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir," Jaishankar said in response to a question.

Asked whether India and Pakistan should sit together on terrorism issue, Jaishankar, attacking his visiting Pakistan counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, said: "Victims of terrorism do not sit together with perpetrators of terrorism to discuss terrorism. Victims of terrorism defend themselves, counter acts of terrorism, they call it out, and that is exactly what is happening. To come here and preach these hypocritical words as though we are on the same boat. They are committing acts of terrorism."

On the China-Pakistan economic corridor, he said: "So called corridor, it was made very clear not once, but twice in the SCO meeting that connectivity is good for progress but connectivity cant violate the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the states. This is a long standing position, nobody should have doubt about it. I assure that those who were in the room had no doubt about it."

--IANS sbk/vd

( 283 Words)

2023-05-05-20:40:03 (IANS)