India strikes back at China, Pakistan over Kashmir remarks, asks not to interfere in internal matter

NEW DELHI: India on Saturday categorically rejected the reference of Jammu and Kashmir in a joint statement of China and Pakistan and asked the countries to not interfere in matters that are internal affairs of New Delhi.

Retreating its concerns over the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, New Delhi said that it opposes actions by "other countries" that change the status quo in Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

The Ministry Of External Affairs' statement comes a day after China told Pakistan that it opposes any "unilateral" action that complicates the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during the the second round of the China-Pakistan Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue in the Chinese province of Hainan.

In an official statement, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, "As in the past, we categorically reject the reference to Jammu and Kashmir in the joint press release of 2nd round of China-Pakistan Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue. Jammu & Kashmir is an integral & inalienable part of India."

"We expect the parties concerned not to interfere in matters that are internal affairs of India," added the MEA spokesperson.

Srivastava stated that India has repeatedly conveyed its concerns to both China and Pakistan on the projects in "so-called"

China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which are in the territory of India that has been illegally occupied by Pakistan.

"We resolutely oppose actions by other countries that change the status quo in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and call on the parties concerned to cease such actions," he added.