ISLAMABAD: The Fore­ign Office on Saturday said that India’s hostile actions and rhetoric were jeopardising peace in the region and asked the world to take notice of the worsening situation.

“India’s attempted diversions, misrepresentations and continued belligerence imperil peace and security in South Asia. It is important for the world community to take cognisance and urge India to act responsibly in the interest of regional peace and stability,” the FO said in a rejoinder to Indian Army Chief Gen M.M. Nara­vane’s latest comments.

Gen Naravane, while spe­a­king at a webinar hosted by an Indian think tank on Friday, said Indian armed forces have to remain alive and cater for a two-war front scenario with Pakistan and China. He said the borders with these two countries were very active.

The Indian army chief had earlier on Wednesday in his media comments described the newly formed Kashmiri ‘Resistance Front’ as a terrorist outfit and accused Pakistan of supporting Kashmiri groups.

He claimed that violence could go up as Pakistan seeks to draw world attention to Kashmir, but said “we are well prepared to tackle any such incidents in the future”.

Gen Naravane had last month alleged that “Pakistan had resorted to firing heavy calibre artillery and killing innocent Kashmiris to garner international attention”. He had then also accused Pakistan of “exporting terrorism”.

FO Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said: “We reject Indian Army Chief’s recent comments levelling allegations against Pakistan and hurling threats. These are part of India’s desperate attempts to divert the world’s attention from Indian state-terrorism and egregious violations of human rights in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K)”.

“The indigenous Kashmiri resistance being faced by India is the direct consequence of India’s unabated oppression and brutalisation of Kashmiris. India’s mischievous attempts to portray the legitimate Kashmiri struggle for self-determination as ‘terrorism’ would not succeed,” she further said.

Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2020

Opinion

Editorial

New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.
Ceasefire, finally
Updated 26 Mar, 2024

Ceasefire, finally

Palestinian lives matter, and a generation of orphaned Gazan children will be looking to the world community to secure justice for them.
Afghan return
26 Mar, 2024

Afghan return

FOLLOWING a controversial first repatriation phase involving ‘illegal’ Afghan refugees last November, the...
Planes and plans
26 Mar, 2024

Planes and plans

FOR the past many years, PIA has been getting little by way of good press, mostly on account of internal...