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Called out by Jaishankar on terrorism, Bilawal says, ‘His comment, his wish’
Jaishankar said victims and perpetrators of terrorism cannot sit together. “Have I once even accidentally sat down with a terrorist?” Bilawal said.
Pakistan foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said his visit to India to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers' Summit was a success, hours after his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar called him out as a 'perpetrator of terrorism' and said the victims and the perpetrators of terrorism cannot sit together to discuss terrorism. "What he said is his wish. I gave my statements there, spoke to the press and everything is on the record. There is insecurity because of the false propaganda. That propaganda breaks when I go there and present my case even if I don't say anything. It is not only in the context of India, but all those who link Pakistan with terrorism," Bilawal said.
“He says the victims of terrorism and the perpetrators should not sit together. This is hatred. Have I once even in my political history accidentally sat down with a terrorist?” Bilawal said in a press conference in Pakistan.
The SCO meeting in Goa was overshadowed by unfettered exchange of barbs between India and Pakistan after Bilawal said, “Let's not get caught up in weaponising terrorism for diplomatic point scoring.” Jaishankar countered him head-on and said no one is scoring diplomatic points. "We are politically and diplomatically exposing Pakistan," Jaishankar said.
"The weaponisation. It's a very interesting statement because it unconsciously reveals a mindset. What does weaponising something mean? It means that the activity is legitimate and somebody is weaponising it. So you say you are weaponising trade, you are weaponising technology. Somebody says you are weaponising terrorism, that means they think terrorism is legitimate, that we should not weaponise it. That is normal," said Jaishankar.
"What do you mean we should not weaponise terrorism? That means, as a victim, I'm supposed to put up with it. So you not only commit terrorism, but you say, oh, please, do not even speak about it? Come on. So to me, that sentence, it spoke so much about a mindset of that country that you can all see for yourselves," Jaishankar said.
'Wake up and smell the coffee' :Jaishankar on Article 370
Bilawal Bhutto in Goa commented on J&K and the abrogation of Article 370 on the sidelines of the SCO meet. Jaishankar reacted to this and said this is a violation of international commitment. "Wake up and smell the coffee, as Article 370 is history," Jaishankar advised Bilawal.
