India’s reckless conduct has brought neighbours ‘closer to major conflict’: FO

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said that it is most unfortunate that India’s reckless conduct has brought the two nuclear-armed states closer to a major conflict. India’s jingoism and war hysteria should be a source of serious concern for the world, he added.

The spokesperson also dismissed the India’s assertion that Pakistan escalated the situation through the Pahalgam Attack of 22 April 2025, terming it as totally absurd. “Till date, India has not been able to produce any credible and verifiable evidence of Pakistan’s involvement in the attack”.

During a weekly media briefing on Friday, the FO spokesperson was responding to the allegations levelled by foreign secretary of India, who made a number of accusations against Pakistan in a special press briefing on Thursday. “It is India that has escalated the situation by violating Pakistan’s sovereignty and killing civilians,” he said, adding the Pakistani forces did not attack Pahalgam but the Indian forces did attack multiple locations in Pakistan.

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Accordingly, Ambassador Shafqat announced Pakistan reserves the right to take all appropriate measures in its self-defence, as enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter. Pakistan unequivocally condemns these illegal acts. The Indian actions are a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, international law, and established norms governing the inter-state relations.

“We all are aware of the recent tensions in Pakistan-India relations. India has been violating Pakistan’s sovereignty since 7 May 2025. Condemnably, the Indian strikes against Pakistan have endangered the regional peace and stability.”

The international community should hold India accountable for its irresponsible, unlawful and belligerent conduct, he asserted.

To the contrary, the acts of aggression committed by India’s armed forces had the approval and support of its entire government. On 26 April 2025, the Prime Minister of Pakistan proposed a transparent and independent probe into Pahalgam Attack through neutral investigators.

However, India chose the path of belligerence and aggression. “We are amazed to see the importance that the Indian Government attaches to the anonymous and dubious social media posts, upon which it has built the case for The Resistance Front’s involvement in the Pahalgam Attack. Can any country in the world be allowed to attack another country on the basis of a few social media posts? India is attempting to act as a judge, jury and executioner.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025