Islamabad: Leaders from the All Parties Hurriyat Conference Azad Jammu and Kashmir (APHC-AJK), including Convener Ghulam Muhammad Safi, have sharply criticized the recent statement made by Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Islamabad, labeling it as “ridiculous.” The Hurriyat leaders disputed the Indian minister’s assertions on cross-border terrorism and regional cooperation.

According to Kashmir Media Service, during his visit to Islamabad, Jaishankar stated that the continuance of activities such as cross-border terrorism, separatism, and extremism renders cooperation on trade, energy, and mutual communication impossible. In response, Ghulam Muhammad Safi accused India of engaging in state terrorism not only in occupied Kashmir but also of carrying out extrajudicial killings internationally, citing incidents in Canada, England, America, and Pakistan.

Safi highlighted that India’s aggressive policies extend beyond its borders, referring to an alleged statement by the Indian interior minister asserting that any opposition to India’s occupation of Kashmir would be met with global targeting. He also noted the extensive human rights violations in Kashmir, including the deaths and imprisonment of millions of Kashmiris advocating for their right to self-determination.

Other Hurriyat leaders, such as Advocate Parvaiz Ahmed, Mahmood Ahmed Saghar, Syed Yousuf Naseem, Syed Faiz Naqshbandi, Muhammad Farooq Rehmani, Muhammad Khateeb Hussain, and Shamim Shawl, in their separate statements made in Islamabad, collectively described Jaishankar’s comments as humorous and dismissive of the grave issues at hand.