Pakistan foreign minister dials Chinese counterpart as PM Modi visits Leh; raises Kashmir

Amid growing border tension between India and China, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi held a telephonic conversation with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. As per reports, both leers raked up  Kashmir issue and situation in Afghanistan.

Alleging that India is imperiling peace in region, Qureshi, during his telephonic conversation with Wang, underscored that regional security situation was deteriorating. “In face of Indian provocations, Pakistan was exercising restraint,” he said. He also accused India of committing ceasefire violations along Line of Control (LoC). Moreover, blatantly interfering into india's internal matter, Quereshi also raised J&K's new domicile laws in his discussion with Wang Yi. 

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Underscoring that Pakistan and China are ‘all-wear strategic cooperative partners’, Qureshi said that disputes in region should be resolved through peaceful means and agreed mechanisms rar than resorting to "unilateral, illegal and coercive measures."

Even as China faces world criticism, Qureshi underlined that Pakistan is committed to ‘One-China policy’ and firmly supports China on its core interests including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang. He also reiterated his country's support to Belt and Ro Initiative and China-Pakistan Ecomic Corridor (CPEC). 

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According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Indian forces exercise maximum restraint and respond to unprovoked violations and attempts at cross border terrorist infiltration. India has repeatedly called upon Pakistan to ask its forces to here to 2003 ceasefire understanding and maintain peace and tranquillity along LoC and International Border.

Since India abrogated special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of Constitution on August 5 last year and bifurcated it into two Union territories -- Lakh, and Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan has been raising issue at various platforms despite India's clear stance that abrogation of Article 370 is its "internal matter".

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PM visits Leh

talk comes at backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise visit to  Indian Army's Nimu base in Lakh.Prime Minister Modi dressed soldiers and reviewed situation along border. Prime Minister was accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief General Maj Mukund Naravane.

His visit comes as a major move amid growing border tensions with China. Moreover, in a veiled dig at China, PM Modi stated that era of expansionism is over as he dressed personnel of Army, Air Force and ITBP at one of forward locations in Nimu - located at 11,000 feet, surrounded by Zanskar range in Leh.

Even as Prime Minister did t name China, Beijing reacted and rejected statement, ding that it has 'through peaceful negotiations' resolved boundary disputes with 12 of its 14 neighbouring countries.

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(with PTI inputs)