Pakistan Condemns Indian Defence Minister’s Remarks on Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office on Monday said that the Government of Pakistan condemned in the strongest possible terms the highly provocative and irresponsible comments by the Indian Defence Minister in the context of Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

His statement not only distorts facts regarding the UN and internationally recognized Jammu and Kashmir dispute that remains on the agenda of the UN Security Council but also shows Indian government’s deliberate policy to threaten regional and international peace and security.

Such insinuations are an attempt to divert attention from India’s continued occupation of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK), its sponsorship of terrorism across the region, as well as its domestic instability.

While resorting to its misplaced rhetoric of aggression and belligerence, India must not underestimate the people and Government of Pakistan’s unwavering resolve and determination to thwart any Indian adventurism as demonstrated by the entire Pakistani nation and its valiant armed forces during Operation Bunyan-ul-Marsoos last year.

Pakistan urges the international community, in particular the United Nations, to take note India’s continued rogue behavior and to hold it accountable for its failure to uphold the relevant UN Security Council resolutions that guarantee the right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Foreign Office statement came in response to remarks made by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during commemorations of the 27th Kargil Vijay Diwas in Drass and Srinagar. Singh reiterated New Delhi’s position that any future dialogue with Pakistan would be confined solely to the issue of Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PoK), asserting that the territory is an integral part of India. He also ruled out broader bilateral engagement and said India would continue to respond decisively to any perceived security challenge from Pakistan, citing Operation Sindoor as evidence of India’s military capabilities.

Pakistan rejected the remarks, arguing that they misrepresent the internationally recognized status of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, which Islamabad maintains remains on the agenda of the UN Security Council. The Foreign Office described the Indian minister’s comments as “highly provocative and irresponsible,” saying they reflected an aggressive posture that could undermine regional peace and security. Islamabad also accused New Delhi of attempting to divert attention from developments in Indian-administered Kashmir and other bilateral disputes.

The exchange comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours following last year’s military confrontation and continuing differences over Kashmir. Both countries have increasingly relied on strong public messaging to reinforce their respective positions on the dispute, with India insisting Kashmir is an internal matter while Pakistan continues to advocate international involvement and implementation of UN Security Council resolutions.