ISLAMABAD – Another sharp exchange reignited Pakistan-India war of words. A strong statement from India’s defence minister over Kashmir prompted equally forceful response from Islamabad, with Pakistan warning of any misadventure this time.
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh made hard-hitting remarks on Kashmir as New Delhi continues to threaten regional peace. Speaking on Sunday, Singh ruled out any possibility of dialogue with Pakistan under the current circumstances. He said if talks were ever to take place, they would be limited to Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), claiming the territory was “illegally occupied by Pakistan.”
Indian defence minister also warned that any future “misadventure” by Pakistan would invite a response “beyond their imagination.”
Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) swiftly condemned the remarks, calling them “highly provocative and irresponsible.” In a strongly worded statement issued early Monday, the FO said Singh’s comments distorted the internationally recognized status of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, which remains on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council.
MoFA accused New Delhi of deliberately escalating tensions through aggressive rhetoric while attempting to divert international attention from the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), allegations of cross-border destabilization, and India’s domestic political challenges. Warning against any aggressive move, Islamabad said India should not miscalculate Pakistan’s resolve to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The FO pointed to Operation Bunyanum Marsoos as evidence of Pakistan’s military preparedness and its willingness to respond to any future aggression.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif backed Foreign Office’s position, saying Rajnath Singh’s remarks could not alter internationally recognized legal realities surrounding the Kashmir dispute.
Asif said India’s repeated attempts to redefine the issue through political rhetoric and coercive language would neither change the disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir nor contribute to peace, stability, or meaningful dialogue in South Asia.
Last year, South Asian rivals engaged in four-day military confrontation. The conflict began after attack on tourists in Indian-occupied Kashmir, an incident New Delhi blamed on Pakistan without publicly presenting evidence. Islamabad rejected the allegation, demanded an independent international investigation, and the crisis escalated into cross-border missile and drone strikes before a ceasefire was reached on May 10 following US diplomatic intervention.
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