Islamabad: During European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas’s visit to Islamabad, Pakistan raised the issue of Jammu and Kashmir during talks with the European Union. The matter was mentioned in the joint statement released after the 9th Pakistan-EU Strategic Dialogue on Monday, and some of the language used in the statement has drawn attention in India.
Kallas also met Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir during her visit.
What Did the Pakistan-EU Joint Statement Say?
On Monday, Kaja Kallas and Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar co-chaired the strategic dialogue and later issued a joint statement.
Point 11 of the statement said:
“The Pakistan side briefed on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. The EU side briefed on Russia’s war against Ukraine. Both sides expressed support for the peaceful resolution of conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy, in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter.”
Why Are Some Experts Concerned?
According to several analysts, the wording of the statement may be viewed as problematic from India’s perspective.
They argue that by including Jammu and Kashmir in a joint statement, the EU appears to acknowledge it as an international issue that can be discussed between Pakistan and a third party. Critics say this could be interpreted as treating Kashmir as an unresolved regional dispute.
India’s official position has long been that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, including the territory currently under Pakistani control, which India refers to as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Another point of concern raised by experts is that the statement mentions Kashmir and Ukraine in the same paragraph. They argue that this may create an impression of equivalence between the two situations, something India has consistently rejected.
Kaja Kallas Calls Pakistan a Regional Power
During her visit, Kaja Kallas met Pakistan’s political and military leadership and described Pakistan as a significant regional player.
In a post on X, she wrote:
“Pakistan is a major regional power and an important partner for the European Union.”
Kallas said her discussions with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar focused on strengthening EU-Pakistan relations.
She also visited the Pakistan Army Headquarters in Rawalpindi, where she met Army Chief Asim Munir.
Additionally, Kallas praised Pakistan’s role in facilitating diplomatic efforts related to discussions between the United States and Iran.