Pakistan condemns India’s ‘provocative’ remarks on crossing LoC

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan condemning the statement of the Indian defence minister threatening to cross the Line of Control (LoC) has counselled India to “exercise utmost caution”.

Addressing a Kargil War Memorial in Ladakh, Singh was quoted as saying: “India is a peace-loving nation which believes in its centuries-old values and is committed towards international laws, but to safeguard our interests, we will not hesitate in crossing the LoC.”

He further said that India would go to any “extreme” to maintain its honour and dignity.

Condemning Singh’s remarks , Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said India’s “belligerent rhetoric is a threat to the regional peace and stability and contributes to destabilising the strategic environment in South Asia”.

She highlighted that this was not “the first time that India’s political leaders and senior military officers have made highly irresponsible remarks about Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan”.

Such “jingoistic statements” must stop, she said adding, “The Indian leadership is reminded that Pakistan is fully capable of defending itself against any aggression”.

“The practice of dragging Pakistan into India’s populist public discourse, with a view to stoking hyper-nationalism and reaping electoral gains, needs to end,” the FO statement said.

Everything from history to law and from morality to the situation on the ground belied India’s claims about Jammu and Kashmir, which was an internationally-recognised disputed territory.

The FO spokesperson noted that India would be “well-advised” to faithfully implement the relevant UN Security Council resolutions on the disputed territory rather than “entertaining any notions of grandeur”.

In February 2021, both countries had recommitted themselves to the 2003 ceasefire arrangement at the LoC and agreed to address the “core issues” that could undermine peace and stability.

The agreement held for a few years, but regular violations have occurred since 2008.

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