Foreign Minister S Jaishankar
Foreign Minister S Jaishankar has made a big statement saying that POK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) is part of India.
"Our position on PoK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) has always been and will always be very clear. PoK is part of India and we expect one day that we will have the physical jurisdiction over it," he said.
Jaishankar was addressing his first press conference after taking charge of Ministry of External Affairs. He spoke about wide-ranging topics.
On Pakistan and its state-sponsored terrorism
Jaishankar said that India has a "unique challenge as one of its neighbours harbours terrorists. He suggested that these activities are creating security issues in the region.
Right since the abrogation of Article 370, Pakistan has been issuing aggressive statements while doing little about terrorist havens on its own soil. Jaishankar set the record straight.
"With regard to Pak, the issue is not Article 370 but Pakistan’s terrorists. We must make the world realise. I always ask other people show me anywhere else in the world where any country conducts terrorism openly against its neighbour as part of what it considers its foreign policy," Jaishankar slammed Pakistan.
On Kulbhushan Jadhav
India registered a victory over Pakistan in Kulbhushan Jadhav case after International Court of Justice ordered Pakistan to grant Jadhav consular access. Jaishankar spoke about the case as well.
"On Kulbhushan Jadhav issue, our objective was to seek access to him, to ascertain his well-being. Seeking access to him was one step in eventually providing that remedy which ICJ has mandated&finally finding a solution which would bring an innocent person back to his country," said Jaishankar.
On minorities in Pakistan
Pakistan often sheds crocodile tears about alleged mistreatment of minorities in India right when minorities in Pakistan suffer hardships. Jaishankar advised Pakistan to look within its own borders.
"Regarding minorities in Pak, this isn't a new thing. Here's a country which is waxing eloquent about other nations. Look at their treatment of minorities,I think minority no.have come down dramatically in last 70 yrs to a point where they don't even put it out publicly anymore," he said.
"I think if there is a human rights audit today in this part of the world I can pretty confidently assert who'll come last in it," Jaishankar added.
About Indo-US relations
Jaishankar expressed satisfaction over progress in Indo-US bilateral ties. US President Donald Trump is soon to join PM Narendra Modi at 'Howdy,Modi', an event in Houston.
Jaishankar said that President Trump's attendance at the program is a great honour. He further said that this gesture by the President goes on to show how far ahead the Indian-American community has come and its rising significance in the USA.
Also Read | Former Pakistan high commissioner takes on Imran Khan; calls government's diplomacy 'publicity-stunt'
Also Read | Don't know about Chinese muslims, busy with Kashmir issue: Imran Khan
Watch | Pakistan could lose in a conventional war with India: Pak PM Imran Khan
