Jammu and Kashmir Part of India: Pakistan Condemns India-Afghanistan Statement, Takes Diplomatic Step

Pakistan summons Afghan ambassador over India-Afghanistan joint statement: Pakistan on Saturday summoned the Afghan Ambassador and expressed strong objection to the India-Afghanistan joint statement issued in New Delhi a day earlier. Pakistan expressed its concern over the comments of Afghan acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaki in India. Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Aamir Khan Muttaki reached New Delhi on Thursday. He is on a six-day visit to India.

Pakistan's Foreign Office said in a statement that the Additional Foreign Secretary (West Asia and Afghanistan), in a joint statement, conveyed Pakistan's strong objections to the Afghan Ambassador in the context of Jammu and Kashmir. The Foreign Office said it was informed that declaring Jammu and Kashmir as part of India is a clear violation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

Strong condemnation of Pahalgam terrorist attack

According to the joint statement, Afghanistan has strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in April and expressed condolences and solidarity to the people and government of India. According to the statement by India and Afghanistan, both sides unequivocally condemned all terrorist acts emanating from regional countries and stressed the importance of promoting peace, stability, and mutual trust in the region.

Pakistan got angry at the mention of Jammu and Kashmir

The Pahalgam Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement that the Additional Foreign Secretary (West Asia and Afghanistan) conveyed Pakistan's strong objections to the references to Jammu and Kashmir in the joint statement to the Afghan Ambassador. The Foreign Office said it was told that declaring Jammu and Kashmir as part of India is a clear violation of the relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.

Like all other countries, Pakistan also has the right to regulate the presence of foreign nationals living in its territory, she said, and added that Islamabad has been issuing medical and study visas to Afghan nationals in the spirit of Islamic brotherhood and good neighborly relations.

Promote socio-economic cooperation

The Foreign Office said that Pakistan wants to see a peaceful, stable, regionally connected, and prosperous Afghanistan. Reaffirming its desire for a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Afghanistan, the Foreign Office said Pakistan has expanded trade, economic, and connectivity facilities to promote socio-economic cooperation between the two countries.

However, it stressed that Pakistan also has a duty to ensure the security of its people and expected the Afghan government to take concrete measures to prevent its territory from being used by terrorist elements against Pakistan.