Modi stoking regional tensions for narrow political gains: FO

FO urges international community to take note of India’s aggressive posture and hate-driven narratives.


News Desk/APP May 23, 2025

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Pakistan has categorically rejected the “baseless, provocative, and irresponsible” allegations made by the Indian Prime Minister during a recent public address in Rajasthan, asserting that such statements clearly aimed at stoking regional tensions for narrow political gains.

“The remarks, replete with distortions, misrepresentations, and inflammatory rhetoric, are clearly aimed at stoking regional tensions for narrow political gains. Such statements not only reflect a deliberate attempt to mislead the public but also violate the norms of responsible statecraft,” Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said in a statement on Friday.

He said that resorting to threats and boasting about military action against a sovereign nation was a grave breach of the United Nations Charter and established principles of international law and that this dangerous approach also undermined regional peace and stability.

The spokesperson said that Pakistan remained a consistent and proactive partner in the global fight against terrorism and any insinuation seeking to associate Pakistan with acts of terrorism was factually incorrect and patently misleading.

“It is a tactic often employed to divert attention from India’s own internal challenges, as well as its repressive policies in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). India’s attempts to mask its serious human rights violations are well-documented and well-recognised by the international community. The plight of the Kashmiri people and their just struggle for self-determination cannot be obscured by aggressive rhetoric and political deflection,” he remarked.

He urged the Indian leadership to exercise responsibility and restraint as escalatory statements and belligerent posturing serve no purpose other than exacerbating tensions.

He said that instead of resorting to fictitious narratives and warmongering for electoral mileage, India should demonstrate maturity by resolving outstanding disputes through peaceful dialogue and diplomacy.

Spokesperson Khan reiterated Pakistan’s firm commitment to peaceful coexistence, regional stability, and constructive engagement.

“However, our desire for peace should not be misconstrued as weakness. The people of Pakistan and its armed forces are fully prepared and capable of defending the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Any misadventure or aggression will be met with a resolute and proportionate response. Pakistan has demonstrated its resolve in the past and will do so again, if required,” he warned.

The spokesperson also urged the international community to take serious note of India’s aggressive posture and hate-driven narratives that threaten regional peace.

The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, governs the distribution of rivers critical to Pakistan’s agriculture. Although Pakistan’s finance minister has said its suspension poses no immediate threat, tensions over water security are escalating.

New Delhi blamed Islamabad for the April 22 attack that killed 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists, though no evidence was publicly presented. Islamabad denied the accusations.

India carried out missile strikes in response, triggering the most intense military exchanges between the nuclear-armed rivals in decades. A ceasefire was reached on May 10.

Pakistan reiterated its commitment to peaceful coexistence but warned against mistaking restraint for weakness.

“Our armed forces are fully capable of defending our sovereignty. Any misadventure will be met with a resolute response,” the Foreign Office said.

Islamabad also called on the international community to take note of India’s “aggressive posture” and urged New Delhi to resolve disputes through diplomacy, not threats.

“Glorification of conflict benefits no one,” the statement concluded. “The path to lasting peace lies in dialogue, mutual respect, and adherence to international law."

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