Saturday, March 29, 2025
Pakistan has lodged a strong protest after India and Afghanistan issued a joint statement describing Jammu and Kashmir as an integral part of India. Islamabad summoned the Afghan envoy to formally register its objection, marking another diplomatic flashpoint in the region.
This reaction came shortly after Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi’s official visit to India from October 9 to 16, the first high-level engagement between the two countries since the Taliban took power in 2021.
In an official statement, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said:
“Referring to Jammu and Kashmir as part of India in the joint statement is contrary to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and the disputed legal status of the region.”
The statement further accused both nations of being “insensitive to the sacrifices and sentiments of the people living under India’s so-called illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir.”
Pakistan also rejected Afghan Foreign Minister Muttaqi’s comments labeling terrorism as Pakistan’s internal problem.
Islamabad asserted that it has repeatedly shared intelligence with Kabul regarding terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil against Pakistan. It added that Afghanistan’s interim government “cannot absolve itself of responsibility” for controlling terrorism in the region.
The Pakistani foreign ministry also emphasized that it is time for undocumented Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan to return to their country.
During the October 10 meeting between Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and his Afghan counterpart, several key issues were discussed, including:
Regional Stability: Both sides underscored the importance of peace, stability, and counterterrorism cooperation in the region.
Terrorism: They jointly condemned terrorism in all its forms and reaffirmed the principles of sovereignty and mutual trust.
Afghanistan’s Commitment: Kabul reiterated its assurance that Afghan territory would not be used for activities against India.
Indian Development Aid: India announced new healthcare projects in Afghanistan, including a Thalassemia Center in Kabul, a modern diagnostic laboratory, a 30-bed hospital, oncology and trauma centers, and five maternity health clinics.
Future Relations: Speaking on Saturday, Muttaqi said, “The future of India-Afghanistan relations looks very promising.”
Pakistan’s reaction underscores ongoing regional tensions and the complex triangular relationship between India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, particularly over issues of territorial sovereignty and cross-border militancy.
