"Jaishankar needs to answer": Congress questions EAM over non-mention of Pahalgam terror attack during SCO meeting

New Delhi [India], June 27 (ANI): As India refused to sign the joint statement at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting, Congress leader Shama Jaishankar needs to answer on Friday said that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was required to answer on the non-mention of the ghastly Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.
Although the centre claims that India's foreign policy has reached some "heaven", the world stands with Pakistan since there's no condemnation against them for the April 22 terrorist attack, even when India asserts the neighbouring country's hand behind the act of terror, the Congress leader said.
"They are saying continuously that our foreign policy has reached some heaven, but as you look at it, it is shocking that they have mentioned the resistance in Balochistan, but not a word on the Pahalgam attack by Pakistan on April 22, which has happened. We have lost 26 people, and still not a word. We have shown that Pakistan has done it. What we have seen is that the world is standing with Pakistan, with no condemnation, and nobody is with India. EAM Jaishankar needs to answer why the Pahalam attack was not there in the SCO," Mohamed told ANI.
Her remarks came after Jaishankar on Friday stated that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was right not to sign the joint document at the SCO Defence Ministers' meeting in China, as one country in the 10-member grouping did not want to reflect India's concerns regarding terrorism.
The Ministry of External Affairs had, in a statement on Thursday, said that the Defence Ministers' meeting of the SCO concluded without a joint statement due to a lack of consensus among member countries.
"India advocated for the inclusion of terrorism concerns in the document, but one country objected. Defence Minister urged countries to unite against terrorism and hold perpetrators accountable, emphasising regional stability and security," it said.
When asked about the recent developments, Jaishankar said, "Let me give you some context because I think it's important. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, its objective was to fight terrorism. This organisation exists to fight terrorism. When Rajnath went for a defence ministers meeting and there was a discussion on the outcome document, one country. You can guess which one, one country said that no no, we do not want a reference to that."
"Rajnath Singh's view rightly was, without that reference, that when the main purpose of the organisation is to fight terrorism, and you are not allowing a reference to that, he expressed his unwillingness to accept... SCO runs with unanimity. One country did not agree to making reference to terrorism in the statement. So, Rajnath ji clearly said that if there is no mention of terrorism in the statement, we will not sign it," Jaishankar said.
India declined to sign the joint declaration at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in China on Thursday, which, according to sources, did not have any mention of the dastardly April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam but mentioned incidents in Pakistan. (ANI)