Sushma Swaraj’s meeting with China is significant as Beijing has repeatedly blocked India’s bid at the United Nations to declare JeM chief Masood Azhar a UN-designated global terrorist.
Wuzhen, China:
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who is in China to attend the 16th Russia-India-China or RIC foreign ministers’ meeting in Wuhen, has raised the recent terror attack by the Jaish-e-Mohammed or JeM in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama during her bilateral meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
“I am visiting China at a time when there is grief and anger in India. It is the worst terrorist attack directed against our security forces in Jammu and Kashmir,” she said in her opening remarks during the meeting held on the side-lines of Russia, India, China Foreign Ministers meeting.
The meeting between the two leaders happened just over 24 hours after Indian Air Force fighter planes struck a major terror training camp in Pakistan’s Balakot, calling it a “non-military, pre-emptive strike”.
Defending the IAF air strikes in Pakistan’s Balakot, Ms Swaraj said, “In the light of continuing refusal of Pakistan to acknowledge act against terror groups on its territory and based on credible information that JeM was planning other attacks in parts of India, the Government of India decided to take preemptive action and target was selected in order to avoid civilian casualties.”
Speaking about the Pulwama terror attack, Ms Swaraj said, “The attack was carried out by Jaish-e-Mohammed, the Pakistan-based and supported terrorist organisation.”
Stating that the JeM is banned by the UN and other countries, Ms Swaraj told Wang Yi that “this terrorist attack is the direct result of the impunity and cover provided to the JeM and its leaders by the Pakistani side”. She further said, “Following the Pulwama terrorist attack, instead of taking seriously the calls by international community to act against JeM and other terror groups based in Pakistan, Islamabad denied any knowledge of the attack and outrightly dismissed claims by Jaish-e-Mohammed.”
“After the Pulwama attack the entire UN has spoken with full voice to condemn it,” she added.
40 soldiers of the Central Reserve Police Force or CRPF were killed in a suicide terror attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on February 14. The terror group released photos and a video after the attack claiming full responsibility for it.
Sushma Swaraj’s meeting with China is significant as Beijing has repeatedly blocked India’s bid at the United Nations to declare JeM chief Masood Azhar a UN-designated global terrorist.
While countries across the world, including US, Russia, UK and France – part of the UNSC, condemned Pakistan’s role in the Pulwama terror attack, China’s stand on Masood Azhar had remained unchanged.
Ms Swaraj, who arrived here early this morning told Mr Wang that this is their first meeting this year and therefore an opportune time for the two sides to take stock of the bilateral relations and look ahead for cooperation.
“This is our first meeting this year. Therefore, an opportune time for us to take stock of our bilateral relations and look ahead for cooperation. The India-China relationship is an important relationship for both of our countries,” she said.
(With inputs from PTI)
