Pakistan on Friday condemned Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s remarks threatening a stronger military strike against Pakistan in the event of another alleged cross-border terrorist incident, warning that any aggression would be met with a forceful response.
Singh had said on Thursday that any “fresh terrorist activity from across the border would invite a strike even bigger than the last time”, according to Indian news agency ANI.
Responding to the remarks during his weekly press briefing, Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan said Pakistan rejected the statements as provocative and threatening.
“Pakistan rejects and condemns the Indian defence minister’s provocative remarks entailing a threat of Indian aggression against Pakistan. Such reckless statements reflect India’s hegemonistic mindset and the risk its belligerent posture poses to regional peace and stability in South Asia,” he said.
Referring to the brief military conflict between the two countries in May last year, the spokesperson reminded India of the consequences of its military actions.
He said Pakistan had demonstrated both its capability and determination to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity, delivering what he described as an appropriate response to Indian aggression.
Haider emphasised that Pakistan remained fully prepared to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity against any “ill-advised aggression”.
He cautioned that Pakistan’s restraint and commitment to peace should not be interpreted as weakness, adding that any aggression would trigger a “forceful response”.
“India should draw an appropriate lesson from last year’s experience and abandon its belligerent posture and dangerous rhetoric and act with responsibility for lasting peace in the region,” he said.
During the briefing, the FO spokesperson was also asked to comment on China’s opposition to India’s move to standardise the names of 28 geographical features in Ladakh, a disputed territory claimed by India. Beijing had described the move as “illegal”.
Asked about the development in the context of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, Haider said India’s actions on August 5, 2019, which revoked occupied Kashmir’s special constitutional status, were “illegal and void”.
He maintained that the move could not change the status of Jammu and Kashmir as an internationally recognised disputed territory.
The spokesperson said the territory’s final status must be determined in accordance with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
The FO spokesperson also outlined reforms to the ministry’s document attestation and apostille services, saying the department was gradually introducing digital systems and automation to improve efficiency, transparency and accessibility.
The statement follows an investigation launched after the Federal Investigation Agency’s Anti-Corruption Circle in Islamabad uncovered an alleged network involved in preparing and using fake apostille stickers in collusion with foreign ministry officials.
Haider said the ministry had launched e-attestation through its online portal, while the transition to e-apostille services was ongoing.
He added that eligible applicants could be exempted from physical appearances, subject to prescribed safeguards. The measure is expected to make the process easier for overseas Pakistanis.
Describing the initiative as a significant step forward, Haider said the process was continuing under the supervision of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who had personally overseen the initiative.
He added that an inquiry into alleged irregularities in the services was underway, with its findings to be announced upon completion.
