Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch has strongly criticized India’s objections to a significant joint statement issued by Pakistan and China regarding the Kashmir issue. The statement, issued on June 8, addressed the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Charter and relevant UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. In response to India’s opposition, Spokesperson Baloch emphasized the disputed nature of Jammu and Kashmir, highlighting that the issue has been on the UNSC agenda for over seven decades.
Spokesperson Baloch’s remarks came in the wake of India’s rejection of the references to Jammu and Kashmir in the joint statement between China and Pakistan. Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had asserted that Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of India, categorically rejecting any references to the disputed region.
In contrast, Spokesperson Baloch reiterated Pakistan’s stance, emphasizing that the final disposition of Jammu and Kashmir should be determined according to the will of the people through a free and impartial plebiscite under the auspices of the UN, as outlined in relevant UNSC resolutions. She refuted India’s claims over Jammu and Kashmir, labelling them as unfounded and misplaced.
Furthermore, Spokesperson Baloch urged India to refrain from making baseless claims about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and instead focus on implementing the relevant UNSC resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir. She emphasized that the CPEC is a flagship developmental project agreed upon by sovereign nations and urged India not to mislead the international community regarding its nature and purpose.
This exchange underscores the longstanding and contentious nature of the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan, with both sides maintaining entrenched positions on the issue. As tensions persist between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, the international community continues to monitor developments in the region, hoping for a peaceful resolution to one of the longest-standing conflicts in the world.
