Known for giving norms and decorum of multilateral forums a go by, Pakistan used the CICA forum to bring up the Kashmir issue

The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday hit out at Pakistan for misusing “another forum by continuing its spurious narrative against India.

“Unfortunately, Pakistan has misused another forum by continuing its spurious narrative about India. The Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been and will remain an integral part of India. Pakistan has no locus standing to comment on India’s internal affairs,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in response to Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s remarks on Kashmir at the virtual CICA Special Ministerial meeting on Thursday.

It further noted that Pakistan’s remarks at the meet “constitute gross interference in India’s internal affairs, sovereignty and territorial integrity which is inconsistent with the CICA Declaration on the Principles Guiding Relations between the CICA Member States of September 1999.”

Pakistan is the global epicenter of terrorism and continues to be the source of terrorist activities in India. “We advise Pakistan to cease its sponsorship and overt and covert support to terrorism against India. This will enable the two countries to engage and address issues bilaterally rather than distract this important forum from its agenda,” the MEA said in a strong rebuttal to the Pakistani Foreign Minister’s remarks.