Jaishankar at SCO meeting: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday chaired the meeting of foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Goa. During the meeting, the member states discussed a number of key issues including countering terrorism, preparations for the upcoming SCO summit in India as well as reforms in the organisation.
Addressing the media after the meeting, Jaishankar left no stone unturned to criticize Pakistan on the issue of terrorism. He said that Pakistan’s credibility in the matter of terrorism is decreasing faster than its foreign exchange reserves.
Jaishankar’s befitting reply on Pakistan
“They are doing acts of terrorism. I don’t want to jump the gun on what happened today, but we all feel equally angry. On this matter, in the matter of terrorism, I would say that Pakistan’s credibility is at stake in its foreign exchange. depleting faster than the reserves,” the minister said. Notably, Jaishankar’s remarks came on a day five Indian Army soldiers were martyred during an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri.
Earlier in the day, in his remarks, Bilawal Bhutto said that terrorism should not be made a ‘weapon’ to gain diplomatic advantage. “One should not fall into the trap of weaponizing terrorism for diplomatic gains,” he said.
Hitting out at Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s remarks on ‘weaponizing terrorism’, Jaishankar said, “His position as the originator, justifyer and spokesman of the terrorism industry, which is a mainstay of Pakistan, was called upon and Was included in the meeting.
Read also: In presence of Bilawal Bhutto, Jaishankar underlines threat of terrorism at SCO meeting
Jaishankar on cross border terrorism
Jaishankar ruled out bilateral talks until Pakistan addressed India’s concerns on cross-border terrorism, saying victims of terrorism do not discuss terrorism with perpetrators of terrorism. Jaishankar said, “Victims of terrorism defend themselves, counter-terrorism, they call it, they legitimize it and that is exactly what is happening. To come here and propagate these hypocritical words like That we’re on the same boat.” Questions on India-Pakistan relations, including a question from a Pakistani journalist.
The minister said that Bhutto Zardari was treated in the same way as the foreign minister of an SCO member country. “He came here as foreign minister of an SCO member state. It is part of multilateral diplomacy. Don’t look at it as anything more than that. I think nothing he said or anything I heard has anything to do with it.” Not worth it.” It should be treated more,” Jaishankar said.
Jaishankar’s inaugural speech
In his opening remarks at the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Goa on Friday, S Jaishankar expressed concern over terrorism, including cross-border terrorism. India has repeatedly raised the issue of Pakistan’s continued support to cross-border terrorism and terrorist infiltration. It states that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been bearing the brunt of this campaign of terrorism for decades and are still suffering.
About Shanghai Cooperation Organization
It is worth mentioning here that Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was formed in 2001. Its members include India, Russia, China, Pakistan and four Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became its permanent members in 2017. India was made an observer at the SCO in 2005 and has generally participated in the grouping’s ministerial-level meetings, which mainly focus on security and economic cooperation in the Eurasian region. SCO is an influential economic and security bloc and has emerged as one of the largest intra-regional international organizations.
(With ANI inputs)