The Foreign Office (FO) on Friday condemned Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s “provocative remarks” threatening aggression against Pakistan, saying such statements highlighting the neighbouring country’s “hegemonistic mindset”.
Singh on Thursday had warned Pakistan that any “fresh terrorist activity from across the border would invite a strike even bigger than the last time”, according to Indian news agency ANI.
On Friday, FO spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan was asked about the comments during his weekly press briefing.
“Pakistan rejects and condemns the Indian defence minister’s provocative remarks entailing a threat of Indian aggression against Pakistan. Such reckless statements reflect India’s hegemonistic mindset and the risk its belligerent posture poses to regional peace and stability in South Asia,” he said.
“We wish to remind India of the consequences of its military aggression in May last year, when Pakistan demonstrated both its capability and resolve to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity and gave a befitting response and reply to Indian aggression,” he said, referring to the brief military conflict between the two countries.
He said that there should be “no ambiguity” that Pakistan remained fully prepared to safeguard its “sovereignty and territorial integrity” against any “ill-advised aggression”.
Haider said Pakistan’s “restraint and commitment to peace” should not be mistaken for weakness, warning that any aggression would be met with a “forceful response”.
“India should draw an appropriate lesson from last year’s experience and abandon its belligerent posture and dangerous rhetoric and act with responsibility for lasting peace in the region,” he said.
More to follow
The post FO condemns Indian defence minister’s ‘provocative’ remarks threatening aggression against Pakistan appeared first on Dawn – Home.
