Islamabad (Reuters) – Pakistan has voiced its criticism of both the United States and India in a vehement reaction to the recent White House meeting between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A joint statement issued after the talks called on Pakistan to prevent its territories from being used as a base for attacks by militants, but Pakistan’s foreign ministry said it was “unfair, prejudiced and misleading”. The ministry further said the reference to Islamabad in the joint statement violates diplomatic norms.
Pakistan stressed close cooperation with the United States on counter-terrorism and expressed surprise and disappointment at the joint statement. Tensions between India and Pakistan have been going on for years, with a historic dispute over Kashmir, which they both fully claim but partially control. The US-India Joint Statement strongly condemned cross-border terrorism and the use of terrorism proxies and called on Pakistan to take immediate action to prevent its controlled areas from being used for terrorist attacks. But Pakistan’s foreign ministry has accused India of diverting attention from the situation in Kashmir and its treatment of India’s ethnic minorities with alleged extremism.
India has long accused Pakistan of carrying out militant attacks within its borders, including the deadly 2008 Mumbai attacks. India also alleges that Pakistan supports Islamic extremists operating in Kashmir since the late 1980s. Pakistan, on the other hand, denies these allegations, claiming it is merely providing diplomatic and moral support to Kashmiris seeking self-determination. Relations between the two countries were further strained in 2019 when India’s state of Jammu and Kashmir had its special status revoked, leading to its division into federally administered territories. Pakistan considers the move illegal and wants it to be reversed.
The Biden-Modi talks focused on strengthening defense and trade ties between the United States and India to counter China’s growing influence on the world stage. Pakistan expressed deep concern over plans to transfer advanced military technology to India, arguing that such a move would not contribute to peace in South Asia.
Tensions have risen in the region in the aftermath of the Biden-Modi meeting, with Pakistan expressing dissatisfaction with its portrayal in the joint statement. The situation remains complex and delicate, with potential implications for regional stability and resolution of the long-standing Kashmir conflict.
