Spokesperson for terrorism...: Jaishankar lashes out on Pak Minister Bilawal Bhutto

Panaji (Goa), May 5: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday criticised Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's remarks at the SCO meeting in Panaji, saying that "as a promoter, justifier, and spokesperson of a terrorism industry that is the mainstay of Pakistan, his positions were called out and countered," including at the meeting.

During a press conference following the SCO Foreign Ministers meeting on Thursday, Jaishankar criticised Pakistan's double standards on terrorism. According to the minister, Bhutto Zardari was treated appropriately as the Foreign Minister of an SCO member state.

According to Jaishankar, Pakistan's credibility on terrorism is eroding quicker than its currency reserves.

"They are committing acts of terrorism. I don't want to jump the gun on what happened today but we are all feeling equally outraged. On this matter, the terrorism matter, I would say that Pakistan's credibility is depleting faster than even its Forex reserves," he stated.

"As a Foreign Minister of an SCO member state, Mr Bhutto Zardari was treated accordingly. As a promoter, justifier and spokesperson of a terrorism industry which is the mainstay of Pakistan, his positions were called out and countered including at the SCO meeting itself," he further said.

Jaishankar, who has ruled out bilateral talks till Pakistan answers India's concerns over cross-border terrorism, has stated that victims of terrorism do not sit down with perpetrators of terrorism to discuss terrorism.

"Victims of terrorism defend themselves, counter acts of terrorism, they call it out, they legitimise it and that is exactly what is happening. To come here and preach these hypocritical words as though we are on the same boat."

"He came here as the Foreign Minister of an SCO Member State. That is part of multilateral diplomacy. Don't see it as anything more than that. I think that nothing from what he said or what I heard he said deserves for this to be treated more than that," Jaishankar added.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari landed in Goa on Thursday, marking the first visit to India by a Pakistani foreign minister in nearly 12 years.

India has repeatedly expressed concern over Pakistan's continuous assistance for cross-border terrorism and terrorist infiltration. It has been stated that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been and continue to bear the burden of this terrorism campaign for decades.

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