India rejects Norway minister's remarks on Kashmir, flags atrocities in POK

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) response came a day after the Norwegian FM held talks with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad. A joint statement issued after the meeting said the two sides discussed regional issues, including Jammu and Kashmir and Afghanistan.Eide's visit was the first by a Norwegian foreign minister to Pakistan in a decade. (Photo: X/@ForeignOfficePk)India on Friday rejected Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide's remarks on Kashmir during his visit to Islamabad, asserting that Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh are an "integral and inalienable part of India" and urged the international community to focus instead on atrocities in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK).The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) response came a day after the Norwegian FM held talks with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad. A joint statement issued after the meeting said the two sides discussed regional issues, including Jammu and Kashmir and Afghanistan. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India's concerns were centred on the situation in POK and Pakistan's use of the territory for cross-border terrorism."The issues that should concern the international community are the atrocities currently being perpetrated in the illegally Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and the use of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir for cross-border terrorism," he added.Eide's visit was the first by a Norwegian foreign minister to Pakistan in a decade. During a joint media briefing with Dar on Thursday, he said the trip provided an opportunity to discuss several regional issues, including Jammu and Kashmir and Afghanistan. Dar, meanwhile, said he had briefed the Norwegian minister about what Pakistan describes as the "long-standing unresolved" Kashmir dispute. He also linked the issue to tensions between India and Pakistan following New Delhi's decision to keep the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance.INDIA FLAGS VIOLENCE IN POKThe MEA also pointed to the ongoing unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, where protests have intensified over rising prices, electricity costs and demands for political reforms. The demonstrations, led by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), have grown into a wider movement demanding economic relief, political reforms and greater accountability. The protests have triggered a violent crackdown by Pakistani security forces. India has repeatedly criticised Pakistan's response to the protests, particularly the use of force against demonstrators. Videos shared on social media, including posts linked to the JAAC, have shown clashes between security forces and protesters.JAAC member Sardar Umar Nazir Kashmiri has claimed that more than 50 people have been killed and hundreds injured in the crackdown by Pakistani security forces. The claims could not be independently verified. Thousands of people also participated in rallies across POK on Thursday, according to the inputs, expressing support for the JAAC and protesting against the violence.INDIA REITERATES STANCE ON INDUS WATERS TREATYJaiswal was also asked about remarks by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif criticising India's decision to keep the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance. Sharif had accused India of acting as an "enemy of peace" and objected to the unilateral suspension of the treaty. India, however, indicated that there had been no change in its position."You are aware of our position on the Indus Waters Treaty and there has been no change in that," Jaiswal said.Sharif had addressed an event in Islamabad on Thursday, where he warned India against restricting Pakistan’s access to water."I declare in clear terms that every drop of Pakistan's water is our red line. If India does not come to its senses, it will be responded to directly," he said.India suspended the treaty following the Pahalgam terror attack in April last year, in which civilians were killed. New Delhi has maintained its position on the pact despite repeated criticism from Islamabad.- EndsPublished By: Satyam SinghPublished On: Aug 14, 2026 22:17 IST