India downplays use of 'Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir'

India on Thursday downplayed the use of the term "Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir" in the US State Department's designation of Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahideen leader Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist.

"The use of the term 'Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir' merely affirms our position that Syed Salahuddin has been involved in cross-border terrorism against India," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said.

"Similar term has been used in the State Department's country reports on terrorism brought out every year, including in the period 2010-13, in the context of cross-border terrorism perpetrated on India.

"India's consistent position that the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India is well known."

The State Department, in the notification issued on June 26, stated: "Under Salahuddin's tenure as senior HM leader, HM has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including the April 2014 explosives attack in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir which injured 17 people."

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad called the use of this term a "sellout".

Welcoming the designation of Salahuddin as a specially designated global terrorist by the US, Baglay said: "This long-awaited step had been under discussion."

He said the joint statement issued after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's talks with US President Donald Trump "is the strongest joint expression of the commitment of the two sides to be shoulder-to-shoulder in the fight against terrorism and calls on Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on other countries".

--IANS

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