India rejects Pakistan, China's joint statement over Kashmir

INDIA has rubbished a reference to Jammu and Kashmir made in a joint statement issued by Pakistan and China last week saying that it expects the parties concerned not to interfere in its internal affairs.

The country’s ministry of external affairs also said that it has consistently conveyed its concerns to Islamabad and Beijing on the projects in the so-called China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

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“We have noted references to Jammu and Kashmir and the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in the joint statement between China and Pakistan issued on 06 February 2022. We have always rejected such references and our position is well known to China and Pakistan. In this instance too, we reject reference to Jammu and Kashmir in the joint statement,” Arindam Bagchi, the ministry’s spokesperson said in response to media queries on the joint statement that China and Pakistan issued in Beijing on February 6 following talks between Chinese president Xi Jinping and Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan.

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“The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh have been, are and will always remain integral and inalienable parts of India. We expect the parties concerned not to interfere in matters that are internal affairs of India,” he said.

With regard to the CPEC, Bagchi said, “As regards the reference to the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), we have consistently conveyed our concerns to China and Pakistan on the projects in the so-called CPEC, which are in India's territory that has been illegally occupied by Pakistan.”

“We resolutely oppose any attempts to change the status quo by other countries, as also by Pakistan, in the areas under the illegal occupation of Pakistan. We call upon the parties concerned to cease such activities,” the ministry spokesperson said.