By Our Diplomatic Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday urged Indian politicians not to drag Pakistan into their domestic poli-tics for electoral gains and to handle sensitive strategic matters with the utmost caution.
In a press statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch called upon the international community to take note of Indian leadership’s belligerent rhetoric, which poses a grave threat to regional peace and stability.
The statement came in response to a series of Pakistan-related remarks made by the Indian Prime Minister, External Affairs Minister, and other cabinet members. The spokesperson said that they are witnessing an alarming surge in anti-Pakistan rhetoric from vari-ous Indian leaders amid the ongoing Lok Sabha election campaign.
“We outrightly reject these irresponsible statements, which cover a wide array of topics including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, counter-terrorism efforts, state of bilateral relations, and nuclear capabil-ities,” the statement added.
The spokesperson said these statements reflected an unhealthy and entrenched obsession with Paki-stan and revealed a deliberate intent to exploit hyper-nationalism for electoral gains.
These also signified a desperate attempt to deflect attention from mounting domestic and interna-tional criticism, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch added.
“The bravado and jingoism exhibited by Indian leaders expose a reckless and extremist mindset. This mindset calls into question India’s capacity to be a responsible steward of its strategic capability,” the spokesperson maintained.
She said the purpose of Pakistan’s strategic capability is to safeguard its sovereignty and defend its territorial integrity.
“Pakistan has also clearly demonstrated its resolve to defend itself in the past, and would not hesitate to do so in the future should the Indian side choose to embark on a misadventure,” it was asserted.
The statement said that just a few months ago, Pakistan exposed details of India’s campaign of extra-judicial and transnational assassinations on Pakistani soil and its continuous emphasis on its readiness to take aggressive actions within Pakistan constituted a tacit admission of guilt.
Regarding the inflammatory rhetoric about Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan reiterated that histori-cal facts, legal principles, moral considerations, and ground realities refuted India’s baseless claims.
“Jammu and Kashmir remains an internationally-recognised disputed territory, and the relevant UN Security Council resolutions clearly mandate a plebiscite under UN auspices for its final determination. No amount of inflated Indian statements can change this reality. India should, therefore, focus on im-plementing these resolutions instead of indulging in fantasies of grandeur,” it was reiterated.
The spokesperson emphasized that vision of peace, progress, and prosperity in South Asia could only be realised through the peaceful resolution of all outstanding disputes, including Jammu and Kashmir, and a shift from confrontation to cooperation.
