MEA slams Pak PM, FM over tweets on Kashmir, says `J&K is an integral part of India`

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and Article 370 is entirely a matter of India. The MEA was reacting to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto's tweets on Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing the weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "We've reiterated that J&K is an inalienable & integral part of India. Article 370 is entirely a matter of India as well as our Constitution & it's a sovereign matter. We don't see what their locus is on this."

Taking to Twitter, Pak PM Sharif said, "Peace & development in South Asia are linked to resolution of Kashmir dispute. On Right to Self-determination Day today, I call upon global community to play its part in giving Kashmiris of IIOJK their legal right to decide their destiny. India must reverse its actions of Aug 5."

Pak FM Bilawal Bhutto also shared a statement on Jammu and Kashmir in a tweet.

Earlier on Tuesday, India's External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Pakistan over harbouring, recruiting and financing of terrorists. In an interview with Austria`s ZIB2 podcast, a daily news magazine of ORF television on Monday, Jaishankar said, "If you (Pakistan) control your sovereign space, which I believe they do. If terrorist camps operate in broad daylight with recruitment & financing, can you really tell me that Pakistan doesn't know this? Especially, they are being trained in military-level, combat tactics."

When he was asked about his statement calling Pakistan the epicentre of terrorism, EAM said, "I could use much harsher words than epicentre. Considering what has been happening to us, epicentre is a very diplomatic world as this country attacked our Parliament some yrs ago." "Pakistan is the country which attacked the city of Mumbai, which went after hotels and foreign tourists, which every day sends terrorists across the border", Jaishankar said in a veiled attack on the neighbouring country.