ISLAMABAD: Pakistan denounced the provocative remarks made by the Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during a recent televised interview, in response to a media revelation regarding India’s clandestine operations within Pakistan.
“India’s assertion of its preparedness to extra-judicially execute more civilians, arbitrarily pronounced as “terrorists” inside Pakistan constitutes a clear admission of culpability,” said Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch in response to the provocative remarks by the Indian defence minister.
She said that it is imperative for the international community to hold India accountable for its heinous and illegal actions. She pointed out that on 25 January 2024, Pakistan provided irrefutable evidence, elucidating India’s campaign of extrajudicial and transnational assassinations on Pakistani soil.
Pakistan’s desire for peace should not be misconstrued, FO responds to Indian defence minister
“Pakistan stands resolute in its intent and ability to safeguard its sovereignty against any act of aggression, as demonstrated by its robust response to India’s reckless incursion in February 2019, which laid bare India’s hollow claims of military superiority,” she said. Baloch further stated that India’s ruling dispensation habitually resorts to hateful rhetoric to fuel hyper-nationalistic sentiments, unapologetically exploiting such discourse for electoral gains.
“Such myopic and irresponsible behavior not only undermines regional peace but also impedes the prospects of constructive engagement in the long term,” she said. She added that Pakistan has always demonstrated its commitment to peace in the region. “However, our desire for peace should not be misconstrued,” she warned. She added that history attests to Pakistan’s firm resolve and ability to protect and defend itself.
In a recent interview with an Indian news channel, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh maintained that “India will enter Pakistan to kill anyone who escapes over the border after trying to carry out terrorist activities in the country”. Rajnath Singh’s comments come a day after a Britain newspaper published a report stating the Indian government had killed about 20 people in Pakistan since 2020 as part of a broader plan to eliminate “terrorists” residing on foreign soil.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024