Trump-Modi meeting: Pakistan slams US move to label HuM chief a global terrorist

Says Washington missed opportunity to press Delhi into altering its harmful regional policies

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday once again slammed Washington’s decision to designate Hizbul Mujahideen (HuM) commander Syed Salahuddin as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), saying President Donald Trump missed an opportunity to press New Delhi into altering policies harmful to regional peace during his meeting with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In a formal reaction to the joint US-India statement issued after the Trump-Modi meeting, the Foreign Office termed it ‘singularly unhelpful’ in achieving the objective of strategic stability and durable peace in South Asia.

“By failing to address key sources of tension and instability in the region, the statement aggravates an already tense situation,” FO spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said.

“Any attempt to equate the peaceful indigenous Kashimiri struggle with terrorism, and to designate individuals supporting the right to self-determination as terrorists is unacceptable,” he added.



The US State Department labeled Salahuddin an SDGT hours before Modi met Trump on Monday. Their subsequent joint statement angered Islamabad further and prompted Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to say “it appears that the killing of innocent Kashmiris means nothing to the US.”

Pakistan also said it was deeply concerned at the sale of advanced military technologies to India.

“Such sales accentuate military imbalances in the region and undermine strategic stability in South Asia. This further emboldens India to adopt aggressive military doctrines and even contemplate military adventurism. Transfers of modern military hardware and technologies as well as repeated exceptions made for India have disincentivised India to engage in efforts to establish a strategic restraint regime and durable security architecture in the region.”

The US-India joint statement coincided with Indian army chief Bipin Rawat’s interview with Hindustan Times in which he threatened to use options other than surgical strikes to ‘teach Pakistan a lesson’.

“Pakistan thinks it is fighting an easy war that’s paying them dividends, but we have options [other than surgical strikes] that are far more impactful and effective,” the Indian daily quoted him as saying.



Pakistan on the other hand reiterated that it firmly believes in the legitimacy of the Kashmir cause and supports the peaceful struggle of the Kashmiri people for their right to self-determination which is promised to them by the international community through repeated UN Security Council resolutions.

It said India’s persistent gross human rights violations in Occupied Kashmir and state-backed persecution of religious minorities in India need to be replaced by respect for basic human dignity, protection of life, property and freedom of speech.

He offered India the peaceful resolution of all outstanding issues, particularly Kashmir. “Pakistan stands ready and committed to resolve all outstanding disputes, especially Jammu and Kashmir, with India through peaceful means and in accordance with UNSC resolutions that underscore the importance of addressing the aspirations of the people of Kashmir. This is a commitment that India also needs to make publicly.”

Zakaria said Pakistan, through relentless security operations, had achieved significant success in eliminating terrorists and their networks from our soil without discrimination and was committed to eliminating this scourge from its soil.

“However, Pakistan expects the international community to unequivocally stand with it in this fight against terrorism,” he added. “Regrettably, those who seek to appropriate a leadership role in the fight against terror are themselves responsible for much of the terror unleashed in recent years in Pakistan.”

The US decision on Salahuddin also drew criticism and condemnation from president and prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

“Salahuddin and his organisation have been fighting illegal Indian rule in IOK where security forces have been committing crimes against humanity,” said AJK President Sardar Masood Khan.

AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider termed the US decision ‘unfortunate’ and said it would further aggravate an already fragile situation in the region.