Pakistan rejects Indian Defence Minister’s highly irresponsible and provocative statement

Islamabad: Pakistan strongly rejects highly irresponsible, provocative and gratuitous remarks by the Indian Defence Minister threatening Pakistan. His unfounded remarks are delusional on the one hand, and reflective of India’s characteristic hostility towards its neighbors on the other. India’s smear campaign against Pakistan has been totally exposed and discredited. It has no takers in the international community. It is no secret that Indian leaders engage in falsehoods and fantasies while pointing fingers at neighbors including Pakistan. In doing so India wants to divert the attention of the international community from the widespread violations of human rights and international humanitarian law committed by the Indian occupation forces in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Pakistan is fully capable of defending itself against any aggression. The entire world was witness to Pakistan’s capability and resolve in thwarting the Indian misadventure in February 2019. It is a well-documented fact that Indian occupation forces have been committing egregious human rights violations and grave crimes against innocent Kashmiris in IIOJK including extra-judicial killings, custodial deaths, torture, arbitrary detentions, using people including innocent children as human shield, and collective punishment by demolishing homes. The Dossier presented by Pakistan to the international community in September 2021 contains incontrovertible evidence of the gross and systematic human rights violations and crimes against humanity by Indian occupation forces in IIOJK. Indian government’s frustration is evident from the fact that despite its unabated state-terrorism in IIOJK, it has utterly failed to silence the peaceful voices of Kashmiris demanding their right to self-determination promised to them by the United Nations Security Council in its various Resolutions. While fully prepared to respond to India’s provocations and irresponsible behavior, Pakistan will continue to act responsibly and contribute to all efforts for promoting peace, security and stability in the region and beyond.