Mehbooba hits out at China for silence over Amarnath terror attack

New Delhi [India], July 15 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday condemned China's silence over the Amarnath terror attack and termed their non-responsive stance as "surprising." "This is really surprising that China has not yet condemned the Amarnath terror attack as it should have. It's being condemned by the entire world, but Beijing remained silent. This was an attack for which the entire nation stood together, united, everybody criticised it; so, we expected something from them too," Mehbooba told ANI. Mehbooba further said that China has never pointed fingers at Pakistan as far as the cross-border infiltration is concerned, even when the whole world does it. "As far as the matter of cross-border infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, China has never condemned Pakistan even when other countries do it," she said. Mehbooba further pointed out that the instability in the Valley is not due to a lack of law and order, but due to few external dimensions, while also urging the entire nation to come together to resolve the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. "The instability in J-K is due to external dimensions, where our neighbouring country is also involved. There are internal dimensions too and they have been there for the past 70 years. I think these issues will only get resolved if all the parties come together and the entire nation stands together as they are doing in the matter of China," she said. A meeting with the Opposition parties was held by the Centre to apprise them with the veracity of the terror attack on the Amarnath pilgrims, following which Director General Press Information Bureau (PIB) Frank Noronha said that all parties condemned the attack and assured support to the government in the regard. The United States, France, Nepal and several other countries had earlier strongly condemned the terrorist attack on Amarnath pilgrims in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on July 10 in which seven pilgrims lost their lives and 15 others were injured. Several other allies of India including Russia, Sri Lanka and Germany also criticised the attack. China, however, has maintained a stoic silence over the terror attack. New Delhi and Beijing have been involved in a lengthy standoff along the Line of Actual Control adjoining Sikkim on India's eastern border. New Delhi has expressed its serious apprehensions over Beijing constructing a road in the Sikkim sector of the LAC. India claims Sikkim border as part of its territory, while China has said that the area falls on their side as per the 1890 treaty signed between British and China. Consequently, China suspended the annual Kailash Manasarovar yatra and conceded that the decision to suspend the pilgrimage was due to the border scuffle. It also alleged that the Indian troops had crossed the Sikkim sector of the Indo-China border. Beijing has accused New Delhi of violating a convention signed in 1890 between Britain and China relating to Sikkim and Tibet. (ANI)