The Foreign Office (FO) on Friday rejected the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “belligerent remarks” against Pakistan made in Ladakh today where Indian soldiers and top army brass gathered to commemorate the 1999 Kargil conflict.
The 1999 Kargil conflict was the last major battle between the two nuclear-armed foes, who have fought numerous wars since their partition into two nations upon independence from British colonial rule. It came just a year after tit-for-tat atomic weapons tests by the neighbours and spurred international alarm that the confrontation risked tipping into all-out nuclear war. Friday marked the 25th anniversary of the conflict’s end.
During Friday’s event, PM Modi held Islamabad responsible for the conflict and said that while “India was trying for peace, Pakistan had once again showed its untrustable face.”
In response to Modi’s comments, the FO said in a statement that “bravado and jingoism” undermine regional peace and were counter-productive for the resolution of long-standing disputes between the two countries, especially the core dispute of Kashmir.
“The Indian leaders’ rhetorical statements cannot deflect international attention from India’s heavy-handed approach to suppress the Kashmiri people’s just struggle for realization of their fundamental rights and freedoms, particularly their inalienable right to self-determination,” the FO said.
It added that India should reflect on its campaign of “orchestrating targeted assassinations, subversion and terrorism in foreign territories” instead of accusing others of terrorism.
The foreign office said that Pakistan stood resolute in its intent and ability to safeguard its sovereignty against any aggression, as exemplified by its robust response to India’s “reckless incursion” in February 2019.
It added that while Pakistan was ready to counter its neighbour’s aggressive actions, it remained committed to “promoting peace and stability in the region”.
