Pakistan’s Foreign Office issued a strong statement on Thursday condemning recent remarks by Indian Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister regarding the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir and allegations of terrorism.
MoFA Spokesman Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan said that India is presenting a “misleading and one-sided” narrative that ignores the unresolved Kashmir dispute, a conflict dating back seven decades.
Khan said that India’s claims of victimhood are a smokescreen for its alleged involvement in terrorism within Pakistan and the oppression of Kashmiris in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK). The statement further added that India’s actions include targeted assassinations, subversion, and state-sponsored terrorism in foreign territories.
The Foreign Office reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to constructive dialogue and a peaceful resolution of all outstanding issues, including the core dispute over Jammu and Kashmir. However, it blamed India’s “rigid approach and hegemonic ambitions” for hindering peace and stability in South Asia.
MoFA also criticized the increased frequency of what it called “unwarranted assertions” by Indian leadership on Kashmir, specifically referencing the External Affairs Minister’s remarks at the Raisina Dialogue. The statement points out that India itself brought the Kashmir issue to the United Nations in 1948 and therefore cannot now criticize the subsequent Security Council resolutions.
Indian PM Narendra Modi had recently told a podcast that Pakistan was an ‘epicentre’ of terrorism and ‘every noble attempt at fostering peace was met with hostility and betrayal’.
Pakistan maintains that Jammu and Kashmir remains an internationally recognized disputed territory, whose final status must be determined by an UN-supervised plebiscite, as mandated by relevant UN Security Council resolutions. While emphasizing its belief in peaceful coexistence, Pakistan insists that a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute, in accordance with UN resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people, is crucial for lasting peace in the region.
