Published 14:46 IST, July 4th 2020
Pakistan PM Imran Khan calls for an 'emergency security meeting' as PM Modi visits Leh
As PM Narendra Modi visited Leh and took a dig at China's expansionist ways, Pakistan PM Imran Khan called for an emergency meeting of top security personnel
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As Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Leh and took a dig at China's expansionist ways, Pakistan PM Imran Khan called for an emergency meeting of top security personnel. The meeting reviewed "internal and external security situation & expressed the resolve that sovereignty of the country would be protected at all costs."
The meeting was attended by Minister for Defence Parvez Khattak, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Nadeem Raza, Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, Navy Chief Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan and DG ISI Lt Gen Faiz Hamid.
Pak FM dials Chinese counterpart
Moreover, 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 the leaders raked up the Kashmir issue and the situation in Afghanistan.
Alleging that India is imperiling peace in the region, Qureshi, during his telephonic conversation with Wang, underscored that the regional security situation was deteriorating. “In the face of Indian provocations, Pakistan was exercising restraint,” he said. He also accused India of committing ceasefire violations along the 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-weather strategic cooperative partners’, Qureshi said that disputes in the region should be resolved through peaceful means and agreed mechanisms rather than resorting to "unilateral, illegal and coercive measures."
Even as China faces world criticism, Qureshi underlined that Pakistan is committed to the ‘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 the Belt and Road Initiative and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
PM visits Leh
The developments in Pakistan comes at the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise visit to the Indian Army's Nimu base in Ladakh.Prime Minister Modi addressed the soldiers and reviewed the situation along the border. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief General Manoj 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 the era of expansionism is over as he addressed the personnel of the Army, Air Force and ITBP at one of the forward locations in Nimu - located at 11,000 feet, surrounded by the Zanskar range in Leh.
Even as the Prime Minister did not name China, Beijing reacted and rejected the statement, adding that it has 'through peaceful negotiations' resolved boundary disputes with 12 of its 14 neighbouring countries.
14:46 IST, July 4th 2020