Wake up and smell the coffee, Article 370 is history, EAM Jaishankar on Bilawal Bhutto’s remark

Hitting back Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto after he commented on the abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu & Kashmir on the sidelines of the Shanghai Corporation Organization (SCO), External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar advised the former to "Wake up and smell the coffee, as Article 370 is history."

#WATCH | On a question on abrogation of Article 370, EAM Dr S Jaishankar says, "...wake up and smell the coffee. 370 is history. The sooner people realise it, the better it is." pic.twitter.com/Enbv4nu7dt
— ANI (@ANI) May 5, 2023

Bhutto's statement marked a "violation of international commitment". Also coming down hard on the neighbouring country over its falling global standing, the External Affairs Minister said, "Pakistan's credibility is depleting faster than its forex reserves."

When asked to respond on Pakistan, its involvment in G20 and Kashmir, Jaishankar, "I said they (Pakistan) have nothing to do with G20. I will also say that they have nothing to do with Srinagar. There is only one issue to discuss on Kashmir which is when does Pakistan vacate its illegal occupation of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir."

#WATCH | "I said they (Pakistan) have nothing to do with G20. I will also say that they have nothing to do with Srinagar. There is only one issue to discuss on Kashmir which is when does Pakistan vacate its illegal occupation of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir," says EAM Dr S… pic.twitter.com/Mx7Xg2UQsE
— ANI (@ANI) May 5, 2023

Jaishankar also asserted that Jammu and Kashmir "was, is and will" always be part of India.

The external affairs minister said Bhutto Zardari came to India as foreign minister of an SCO member state and it is part of multilateral diplomacy.

"Do not see it as anything more than that," he added.

Meanwhile, the spectre of terrorism surfaced again in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, with the Army engaged in a fierce standoff with Pakistan-backed terrorists in the Rajouri district. The gunbattle broke out on a day Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was in Goa to take part in the SCO meet.

Five soldiers lost their lives in the anti-terror operation in the Kandi area of Rajouri on Thursday.

"Victims of terrorism do not sit together 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," Jaishankar said, hitting out at Pakistan.

Jaishankar said 'victims of terrorism' fight terrorism.

Responding to a question from a Pakistani journalist on whether a visit by the foreign minister of the neighbouring country after a long time will help normalise relations with India, the EAM said "India and Pakistan are not on the same boat".

(With inputs from ANI)