Responding to the joint Press Conference of the Foreign ministers of Germany and Pakistan regarding Jammu and Kashmir, India said that global community members have a crucial role to play in calling out international terrorism and stressed on the fact that the foreign nationals have been its victim too. “All serious and conscientious members of the global community have a role and responsibility to call out international terrorism, especially of a cross-border nature. The Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has borne the brunt of such a terrorist campaign for decades. This continues till now. Foreign nationals have been victims there, as also in other parts of India. The UN Security Council and FATF are still pursuing Pakistan-based terrorists involved in the horrific 26/11 attacks”, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi stated in a press release.
The sharp response from India comes after Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany, Annalena Baerbock with her Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in Berlin jointly addressed a press conference and mentioned Kashmir.
“I truly believe that every country in the world has a role and responsibility for solving conflicts and for ensuring that we are living in a peaceful world. So, my call for peace doesn’t only count for Europe and the situation of the brutal war of Russia against Ukraine. But, this is also our responsibility to look at other regions with tensions or situations of war. Therefore, I really appreciate that we can have such close meetings and exchange of views with different actors in the world,” said the German Foreign Minister.
“Germany also has a role and responsibility with regard to the situation of Kashmir. Therefore, we support intensively the engagement of the United Nations to find the peaceful solution in the regions,” Baerbock said.
“We see positive signals in these difficult times with regard to cross-border cooperation between Pakistan and India. We support all the engagements with regard to the ceasefire. We encourage Pakistan and India to follow the track of the Ceasefire to follow the track of the United Nations and intensity the political dialogue and political cooperation” she added.
Ministry of External Affairs added that when states do not recognize such dangers, they do grave injustice to the victims of terrorism.
“When states do not recognise such dangers, either because of self-interest or indifference, they undermine the cause of peace, not promote it. They also do grave injustice to the victims of terrorism, the press release stated.
Yesterday, India objected to US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome’s visit to Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) where he repeatedly referred to the region as “Azad Jammu and Kashmir.”
During a weekly presser, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “Our objections to the visit and meetings in PoJK by the US envoy have been conveyed to the US side.”
The US also issued a travel advisory on Thursday where it urged its citizens to reconsider travel to Pakistan, especially its restive provinces, due to terrorism and sectarian violence.
“Reconsider travel to Pakistan due to terrorism and sectarian violence. Some areas have increased risk,” it said, putting the advisory to Level 3.
Level 3 travel warning is issued when a long-term or serious situation puts travellers and visitors at risk, and non-essential travel to the destination should be avoided. (ANI)
