Pakistan condemns Indian defence minister’s remarks on Kashmir, urges UN action

WEB DESK: Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Monday strongly condemned recent remarks by India’s defence minister on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, accusing him of distorting historical and legal facts and attempting to misrepresent the internationally recognised status of the issue.

In a statement, Foreign Office said the dispute remains on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council and must be resolved in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

On Sunday, Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh ruled out the possibility of dialogue with Pakistan, saying there would be no negotiations between the two countries. As reported by The Times of India, he asserted that if any discussions were to occur, they would be limited to Azad Jammu and Kashmir, which he described as being under Pakistan’s “illegal occupation”. He also warned that any future “misadventure” would be met with a response that would go “beyond their imagination”, according to the report.

“His statement not only distorts facts regarding the UN and internationally recognised 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,” the FO stated.

The statement further alleged that such remarks were intended to divert international attention from the situation in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and issues related to terrorism.

The Foreign Office also warned India against underestimating Pakistan’s resolve or defence capabilities. It said Pakistan’s armed forces and people had given a “strong and effective response” to what it described as Indian aggression during Operation Bunyan-ul-Marsoos.

“Pakistan urges the international community, in particular the United Nations, to take note of India’s continued rogue behaviour 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 statement said.

Pakistan further called on the international community to hold India accountable for what it described as its continued failure to implement UN Security Council resolutions related to the Kashmir dispute.