India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday called Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari a "spokesperson of terror industry", which is the mainstay of Pakistan.
Addressing a press conference on the sidelines of the meeting of foreign ministers of the member nations of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) here, Jaishankar said, "As a Foreign Minister of an SCO member state, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was treated accordingly. As a promoter, justifier... But I am sorry to say that as a spokesperson of a terror industry which is the mainstay of Pakistan, his positions were called out and countered, including at the SCO meeting."
When asked whether India and Pakistan should sit together on the issue of terrorism, Jaishankar said, "Victims of terrorism do not sit together with the perpetrators of terrorism to discuss terrorism. Victims of terrorism defend themselves, counter the acts of terror, they call them out, and that is exactly what is happening. To come here and preach these hypocritical words as though we are on the same boat... They are committing acts of terrorism."
The External Affairs Minister also said that on the matter of terrorism, Pakistan's credibility is depleting faster than its forex.
"Terrorism can't be destiny. A country which indulges in terrorism can't talk about peace in the same breath," he said.
Established in June 15, 2001 in Shanghai, the SCO originally comprised Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became its members subsequently.
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