India had a stern message for Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan: get new advisors and “better information”.
Citing a news report, the Pakistan prime minister had tweeted: “Acc to this report, 34% of households across India will not be able to survive for more than a week without add assistance. I am ready to offer help & share our successful cash transfer prog, lauded internationally for its reach & transparency, with India.”
The ministry of external affairs reacted strongly to Khan’s tweet saying India’s stimulus package is as large as Pakistan’s GDP. “Pakistan is better known for making cash transfers to accounts outside the country rather than giving to its own people,’’ said MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava, at the weekly virtual briefing. “Clearly, Imran Khan needs a set of new advisers and better information. We have all known about their debt problems (almost 90 per cent of GDP) and how much they have pressed for debt reconstruction,” he added.
While the reaction to Pakistan has been stern, MEA took a conciliatory approach towards China. Temperatures between China and India are cooling and the situation on the Line of Actual Control will be resolved “at the earliest,” Srivastava said, adding, “The two sides, are…maintaining their military and diplomatic engagements to peacefully resolve the situation at the earliest as to ensure peace and tranquility at the border area.”
A meeting was held between Corps Commanders on June 6 in the Chushul-Mondo region. “This meeting was in continuation of the diplomatic and military engagements which both sides have maintained to address the situation in areas along the India-China border,’’ said Srivastava.
A day before the meeting, the MEA held a joint secretary level video conferencing with the foreign ministry in China.
This is not the first indication of both sides calling truce. Earlier in the week, China too, indicated that the problem can be solved bilaterally. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying echoed almost the same words: “The two sides will work to maintain peace and tranquility along the border and create a good atmosphere”.
