ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has rejected India’s claims on Jammu and Kashmir, terming them “misleading” and “dangerously delusional”.

In response to media queries regarding the recent statement of India’s minister for external affairs on held Kashmir, the Foreign Office spokesperson emphasised that the Kashmir dispute was an “internationally recognised” issue.

It must be resolved through the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people, the FO spokesperson said on Sunday.

The spokesperson reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to diplomacy and dialogue but warned that any hostile actions would be met with “unyielding resolve”.

The statement urged India to abandon its “provocative rhetoric” about the region and engage in a meaningful dialogue for a just and lasting resolution of the dispute.

India’s “unilateral actions” in held Kashmir cannot and will not change this reality.

The FO statement added that true peace and stability in South Asia can only be achieved by settling the Kashmir dispute in accordance with UNSC resolutions.

The statement has come in response to the remarks made by S. Jaishankar, who last week said the “era of uninterrupted dialogue with Pakistan is over”.

When asked about the status of held Kashmir, the Indian minister said, “[In]sofar as Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, I think Article 370 is done.”

Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2024