Speaking at a rally in Haryana’s Panchkula, the defence minister further said that dialogue with Pakistan will only take place if it stops sponsoring and nurturing terrorism. Rajnath slammed Pakistan for seeking the intervention of foreign countries and United Nations on Kashmir

Panchkula: Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday hit out at Pakistan for seeking the intervention of foreign countries and United Nations on Kashmir and said that India would now hold bilateral talks with the neighbouring country only on Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (PoK). 

Speaking at a rally in Haryana’s Panchkula, the defence minister further said that dialogue with Pakistan will only take place if it stops sponsoring and nurturing terrorism.

“Article 370 was abrogated in J&K for its development. Our neighbour is knocking doors of international community saying India made a mistake. Talks with Pakistan will be held only if it stops supporting terror. If talks are held with Pakistan it will now be on PoK,” Singh said, clearly rejecting any future possibility of talks with Pakistan on Jammu and Kashmir.
“Few days ago, prime minister of Pakistan said that India is planning to take an action bigger than Balakot. It means that Pakistan PM acknowledges what India did in Balakot,” he added.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government revoked Article 370 and bifurcated J&K into two union territories. Following the developments, Pakistan reached out to several countries and international bodies requesting them to mediate on the Kashmir issue.

On Friday, the UNSC held a closed-door meeting over Kashmir issue after Pakistan and China called for a discussion over India’s move to abrogate Article 370. The meeting that took place for the first in over 50 years to discuss Kashmir issue, however, concluded without any outcome or statement from the council.

After the UN meeting, India’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Syed Akbaruddin had said that matters related to Article 370 of the Constitution are entirely an internal matter of India and these have no external ramifications.

"India remains committed to ensure that the situation in Kashmir remains calm and peaceful. We are committed to all the agreements that we have signed on this issue. We note that there are some who try to project an alarmist approach to the situation, which is far from the ground realities,” he had said while briefing the media after the meeting.

"Of particular concern is that one state is using terminology of jihad and promoting violence in India, including by their leaders. Violence is no solution to the problems that all of us face,” he added.

Earlier, the United Nations General-Secretary, Antonio Guterres had rejected Pakistan’s request to mediate on Kashmir issue, citing the Shimla Agreement that prohibits third-party intervention in Kashmir issue.

According to the agreement, also known as 1972 Agreement on bilateral relations between India and Pakistan, the final status of Jammu and Kashmir is to be settled by peaceful means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.

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