Jaishankar calls out Pak's Bilawal Bhutto Zardari over terror at SCO meet | Top quotes

External affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Thursday called out Pakistan over terror at the ongoing Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) foreign minister's meeting in Panaji. The minister was unsparing in his attack on Pakistan's foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at the meeting.

Here are the five big attacks by the external affairs minister on Pakistan.

1. While chairing the conclave, Jaishankar in a veiled reference to Pakistan, said, "Taking the "eyes off terrorism" would be detrimental to the security interests of the grouping and that when the world was engaged in facing the Covid-19 pandemic and its consequences, the menace of terrorism continued unabated".

2. Addressing the gathering which also included Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang, Jaishankar said, "We firmly believe that there can be no justification for terrorism, and it must be stopped in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism".

3. Without naming Pakistan, the minister called for an end to terror financing. "The channel of finances for terror activities must be seized and blocked without distinction. Members need not be reminded that combating terrorism is one of the original mandates of the SCO,” he said.

4. Jaishankar said Zardari was treated accordingly as a foreign minister of an SCO member state. “As a Foreign Minister of an SCO member state, Mr Bhutto Zardari was treated accordingly. As a promoter, justifier and spokesperson of a terrorism industry which is the mainstay of Pakistan, his positions were called out and countered including at the SCO meeting itself”, he said.

5. Addressing a briefing, Jaishankar again took a swipe at his Pakistani counterpart. “Victims of terrorism do not sit together with perpetrators of terrorism to discuss terrorism. Victims of terrorism defend themselves, counter acts of terrorism, they call it out, they legitimise it and that is exactly what is happening. To come here & preach these hypocritical words as though we are on the same boat”, he said.

6. “They are committing acts of terrorism. I don't want to jump the gun on what happened today but we are all feeling equally outraged. On this matter, the terrorism matter, I would say that Pakistan's credibility is depleting faster than even its Forex reserves”, the minister said.

7. "I said they (Pakistan) have nothing to do with G20. I will also say that they have nothing to do with Srinagar. There is only one issue to discuss on Kashmir which is when does Pakistan vacate its illegal occupation of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir," the minister said.

8. On a question on abrogation of Article 370, the minister told Pakistan, “...wake up and smell the coffee. 370 is history. The sooner people realise it, the better it is.”