China to back Pak at UNSC over Kashmir: Qureshi

Beijing, Aug 10 (IANS) China intends to support Pakistan in the UN Security Council (UNSC) over the Kashmir issue, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Friday after meeting with his counterpart Wang Yi and other senior officials.

Qureshi, who arrived here in the Chinese capital early Friday to hold consultations in the wake of India revoking special status of Jammu and Kashmir, apprised officials in Beijing about Pakistan's concerns and reservations.

In an "urgent visit to the ally nation", Qureshi met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, and informed the latter of India's "illegal move". The two held talks for two and a half hours, Pakistani media reported.

Addressing the media following his meeting with Wang, Qureshi said Pakistan had decided to go to the UNSC over India's "shocking move" and that Beijing would fully support Islamabad.

The Sino-Pak friendship was everlasting, the minister noted, and that Pakistanis should continue being proud of it.

He stressed that his Chinese counterpart had completely supported Pakistan's stance on Kashmir and agreed that India's move was unilateral.

The Chinese Foreign Minister also agreed that Kashmir "was and remained a disputed matter".

Earlier, while speaking to a private television channel, Qureshi said the Indian government can stage a Pulwama-like terrorist act or drama to avoid the world's attention from the grave situation in the occupied valley.

"The entire world has condemned the unconstitutional move of the Bharatiya Janata Party [BJP] government to revoke the constitutional status of held Kashmir," the Pakistan Foreign Minister said.