India flays Imran K-doublespeak

New Delhi, January 23

Slamming Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for trying to paint an “alarmist” situation in Kashmir and seeking global intervention to de-escalate tension between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan at Davos, New Delhi today said his remarks show “growing sense of frustration” and that the world understands Islamabad’s “double standards”.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar ruled out third party role on the Kashmir issue, asserting any issue between India and Pakistan should be resolved bilaterally and the onus to create a conducive atmosphere that could lead to meaningful engagement was on Islamabad. Apart from calling for global intervention to de-escalate tension between India and Pakistan, Khan in Davos said there were no terror groups left in his country and some terror outfits were operating from Afghanistan.

“We are hardly surprised by the content and tone of his remarks. They are not only factually inaccurate and contradictory, but also demonstrate a growing sense of frustration,” Kumar replied when asked about Khan’s comments. “Pakistan has to realise that the global community has seen through their double standards,” he asserted.

Kumar said Pakistan must first take credible steps to deal with terror networks operating from its soil instead of trying to mislead the international community.

"They have to take credible, irreversible and verifiable action against terror groups operating from its soil rather than making misleading and alarmist statements to divert the attention of the international community," said Kumar.

The MEA spokesperson asserted there was no role for any third party on the Kashmir issue, in a clear message to US President Donald Trump, who made a fresh offer to "help" India and Pakistan resolve the dispute two days ago.

Kumar said if there are any issues between India and Pakistan, they should be resolved bilaterally under the provisions of Simla agreement and the Lahore declaration and that the onus is on Islamabad to create an atmosphere for talks.

Meanwhile, India has slammed Pakistan for “spewing venom and false narratives” of monumental proportions at the United Nations, saying it takes to hate speech like fish takes to water. — PTI

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