ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Tuesday the hate-driven invocation of violence in remarks made by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was deeply disturbing and urged the international community to take note of India’s escalating rhetoric which threatens to undermine regional stability and prospects for peace.

In a video shared by Indian news outlet ANI, Modi could be heard saying, “The people of Pakistan must come forward to rid their country of terrorism. Their youth will have to come forward.”

He went on to say, “Live a life of peace, eat your bread or choose my bullet,” to applause from the crowd.

In a statement, Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said Pakistan has taken note of Mr Modi’s remarks.

The remarks were delivered “with the theatrical flourish of a campaign rally rather than the sobriety expected of the leader of a nuclear-armed state”.

“The hate-driven invocation of violence in his remarks is deeply disturbing, not only for its content but for the dangerous precedent it sets in a region already burdened by volatility. We regret the continued erosion of maturity and decorum in Indian statecraft.”

Mr Khan said such statements blatantly violated the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter, which obliged member states to resolve disputes peacefully and to refrain from the threat or use of force against the sovereignty or political independence of other states.

“Pakistan views these remarks as a reckless provocation, intended to distract from the ongoing human rights abuses and demographic engineering in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir.”

He said Pakistan’s record as a leading contributor to UN peacekeeping and its consistent cooperation in global counter-terrorism efforts spoke louder than any hostile soundbite.

“If extremism is a concern for the Indian government, it would do well to turn inward toward the alarming rise of majoritarianism, religious intolerance, and the systematic disenfranchisement of minorities under the increasingly brutal Hindutva ideology.”

Mr Khan said Pakistan remained committed to peace based on mutual respect and sovereign equality. However, any threat to territorial integrity will be met with “firm and proportionate measures”, in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter.

With input from APP

Published in Dawn, May 28th, 2025