India losing credibility at int’l forums: Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Wednesday said India was losing credibility at all international fora as it violated a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) principle against bringing a bilateral matter to the platform.

In response to India’s objection against Pakistan displaying its new political map during an online meeting of SCO National Security Advisers on Tuesday, the Foreign Minister said the attempt “ended in humiliation” of India as it was rejected by the forum that is meant to address regional issues.

He recalled attending a SCO meeting of foreign ministers held recently in Russia and mentioned that bilateral matters were supposed to be discussed during meetings on the sidelines.

Qureshi said Pakistan followed SCO rules, whereas India raised an objection on a bilateral issue. He said Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory and is already mentioned in the resolutions of the United Nations.

He said India was losing credibility at all international forums as its national security adviser walked out of the meeting. On the Ladakh matter, the minister said China urged India to resolve the matter through negotiations, but India chose the path of aggression instead. “On the Ladakh front as well, India has faced huge humiliation,” he said.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Security and Strategic Policy Planning, Moeed Yusuf said Russia supported Pakistan’s stance regarding its political map.

Talking to the media here, Yusuf said: “Pakistan proudly displayed the political map at the SCO meeting while the Indian objections were rejected by the member countries and even Russia sided with Pakistan on the issue.”

Yusuf said Russia — which was the host country — requested all participating countries to test their technology on September 11. During that test, India objected to the display of Pakistan’s map on the wall in its meeting room and submitted a formal complaint to Russia.

Yusuf said: “Russian friends conveyed to Pakistan last night that India wanted that map not to be displayed during the virtual session.”

Responding to that complaint, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs clearly stated that the map, which was launched on August 5, “reflects our legal right and is according to the United Nations Security Council resolutions and removing it from anywhere is unquestionable”.

During the meeting, Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval walked out of the meeting in protest when Yusuf’s speech began and even did not attend the speech of Russian representative.

The PM’s aide said: “The world talks of strategic competition and confrontation like our neighbouring country (India) is doing but what Pakistan talks about is of regional connectivity and economic security.

“Pakistan is a responsible state and it does not want any conflict in the region and its focus is on economic diplomacy through boosting regional connectivity.”