"It would be in the larger interest of the regional peace that instead of engaging in a blame game, the two countries should focus on resolving all issues through dialogue and work together to promote friendly and cooperative relations," the press releases stated.
On August 12, Modi had landed in the remote Himalayan town a day after the two sides traded accusations of ceasefire violations on their border in Kashmir.
New Delhi has repeatedly accused Pakistan of intruding the Kargil area 15 years ago, a move that triggered confrontation between the two countries killing 1,000 on both sides.
Speaking earlier Tuesday to soldiers in Leh, capital of the Ladakh region, where he stopped en route, Modi had condemned what he called a “proxy war by Pakistan” and said troops were “suffering more casualties from terrorism than from war”.
Referring to Modi repeating the baseless rhetoric against Pakistan regarding terrorism, the Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said today that Pakistan has always condemned terrorism of any form.
According to the press release, Aslam said that "Pakistan is the biggest victim of the menace," adding that the country has lost the lives of 55,000 people because of terrorism.
"The entire world has, time and again, acknowledged Pakistan’s unprecedented sacrifices, rendered by our valiant armed forces with over 5,000 soldiers having embraced Shahadat," the statement added.
The foreign office further said that the country's armed forces were always ready to defend its borders.
COMMENTS (67)
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@Hiren: You probably had @Rick or @RD Sultan in mind & not I. Regardless, I thank you.
Religions in Ladakh
Religion
Hindus 6.22%
Muslims 47.39%
Buddhists 45.86%
Others† 0.52%
@kamran: Have hardly seen him wear any religious cap. Why does it bother your kind?
@Rakib: @Rex Minor: Indians are mostly Aryans who came from Caucasus mountains that is now Georgia and Azerbaijan, NOT from the Arabian peninsula. India and its civilzation has a common core with superficial differences among them, which is why it is today a cohesive nation. Even the Europeans or the Arabs do not have a single nation.
The Dravidians also migrated into the subcontinent only earlier. However, 5,000 years of co-existence and intermixing has given rise to many common cultural beliefs and practices.
Remember that all of India's culture and civilization was developed within India and its territory. Hinduism and Budhism are both born in India and are native to India.
India today is both a country as well as a nation is all aspect of a modern nation state and Republic. It is useless to say that India was comprised of many disparate kingdoms over time, when they all shared very common genes, culture, beliefs and way of life.
@Ovais Zahid: This guy named as Iqbal Hussein (who has commented above) has faked a muslim name here. His real name is “Murli Prasad Dina Nath Chaubay”.
LOL. If what you say is true, how do you know? Have ET moderators begun to post comments?
ET mod,2nd time attemp @RD Sultan: @Rick: The anglo saxon denomination for the Natives, be it in Americas or for the Indian sub-continent natives who migrated from the arabian peninsula to central Asia and eventualy landed in the hole. India was never a single country per se, not even this day which has been the land of many Nations and several cultures and has experienced not one but several civilisations, some well known and others unnamed but more advanced which vanished without any apparent explanation and were more advanced than present India. It is upto the archeologists to tackle the mamoth task, discovering the past of myterious India and Pakistan lying buried under dust below the centuries old sands and what is in the ocean. In Mes Aynak around 40km south east of Kabul the archeologists suspect a complete city with Buddhists complex for excavation. However, the problem is that that there are also the second largest reserves of copper reserves which the Chinese will start excavating as soon as the yankees leave Afghainstan. However be careful that Hinduism which is paganism, must not be confused with Buddhism!!
Rex Minor
@Gp65: Modi sure knows or should have known that whatever he speaks of Pakistan from Kashmir will always have greater publicity than other matters. I agree many have no issue with his being RSS.. With him as PM I most certainly do not expect any Hindu to have any problem with RSS ever again. A few that might have had have caved in & there is a huge waiting list of Hindu applicants for "on-line" enrolment in to that set-up. Never heard of any Muslim or Christian "Pracharak" of RSS though, have you, not that it's sought the way Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi would seek out BJP.
Keeping aside all differences and respecting everyones point of view here, let me confirm to all of you one thing...... This guy named as Iqbal Hussein (who has commented above) has faked a muslim name here. His real name is "Murli Prasad Dina Nath Chaubay".
Such notes are issued by FO as routine from its Standard Operating Procedure which the whole world knows by now is nothing but a cover up of Pakistan acts of violations. How long will India show its patience is a million dollar question as Modi means business would strike hard if Pakistan does not mend its ways.
@Rakib: The headlines are mischievous at best. Here is his qctual speech. http://www.onlinenewsvideo.net/mobile/watch.php?vid=c78e56041
He referred to Pakistan in passing. Bulk of his speech referred to the development projects for J&K in general and Kargill in particular and the bisuon he had for the region. It is the media that plays mischief.
And of course he is an RSS member.Has never denied it. Unlike pseudo seculars who use the term pejoratively, most people have no problem with RSS even if we do not abree with some ideas such as Akhand Bharat.
Who said it is baseless? why Pakistan recalled a diplomat recently from colombo? He was proved beyond doubt that he provided financial and material support to terrorists to conduct bomb blasts in India. It was found out by Malaysia and Sri Lanka. Not India. Pakistan 's role in terror plots in India is proved beyond any doubt umpteen times.Pakistan authorities keep repeating like a parrot "these allegations are baseless" if you have lost lives in Pakistan ,whom you are blaming.The Snakes you nurtured to bite the neighbour bit back.Now what is the point in crying?
@Rex Minor: You could be from any country or planet, but your ignorance about people of India can not be accepted. Modi is the greatest leader of India in its 67 years of independence.
Dipak@East View: Three things contributed to Pakistan's decline:
Millitary Mullahs FeudalsGet rid of all three and you will see a rich, prosperous, highly cultured and peaceful Pakistan.
@Prognosticator: At least the crypts and mosoleums are a big source of income from tourists all over the world.
@kamran: calling another country's prime minister is not gentlemanly speech, but then again you would you expect that from Bakistanis.
@Syed Jalal Kashmiri: I agree. We should help our Sikh brothers to get Khalistan homeland (in India, not inside Pakistan Punjab). At the same time we should show solidarity with the uyghur muslims and give them moral support to start jehad in china. Kashmir is priority.
@kamran: Yeah. Please compare the percentage of minorities between 1947 and present for both countries. You will get an answer.
@Rick:
I agree that the nations of today don't have the same borders as 200 years ago. Parts of India were often conquered by foreign invading forces and joined to their expanding empires.
The areas of modern day India were ruled by a plethora of different kings who operated freely and independently of each other (and they fought each other plenty of times).
Since the Mauryas and Guptas didn't rule all of modern day India, it's historical revisionism to say that India was always one political unit.
@Rex Minor: India's literacy rate is 74.04% Pakistan literacy rate is 57%
@Rick:
India was never one country with definitive borders. Borders were confined to individual kingdoms until the British arrived. The British took the persian word Hindu and gave it an identity that did not previously exist. The rationale was to create an antagonistic group within India to undermine the remnants of Muslim rule.
If India is one common civilization, how do you account for the genetic divide between Indian Caucazoids and Austroloids. How did the languge transform from the Dravidian script to Sanskrit? For example, folks in northeast India don't look like Indians nor do they have anything in common with mainland Indians.
India isn’t a nation. Its just a country - a political union of several nations. Many former princely states have been reduced to illegal statehood within the Indian union (were forcibly annexed by India).
ET, the answer for the guest on your social site. Be kind to his curiousity. @kulwant singh: I am not a Pakistani sir and am equaly concerned about the sikhs who were massacred in their temple by the Gandhi woman, some of whom survived and were given temorary asylum but have stayed put in several parts of Europe ever since.
Rex Minor
@RD Sultan: NONE of the countries today had the same boundaries 200 years ago. All of them were not countries, but kingdoms and empires changing with time. The concept of country and nation is a recent concept. Hence, the question of the "nation" or "country" of India existing before the British did not arise at all. However, the are very few countries in modern day which are formed on the same basis as they existed for 5,000 years
@kulwant singh: You say:
@Rex Minor: Why you so concerned about Indian Muslims it will be better if you set your own house order, those who are being killed every day in Pakistan are also Muslims, ......."
Don't you not know that Rex Minor feels very much ashamed and gets really very angry when he is called a Pakistani or a Muslim. I quote exact words from his own comments:
(1) I am not a Pakistani. I am from a Foreign Country". Who knows which country has the name "Foreign Country"? (2) I am not a Muslim.
Just look at his comment above your's. In his response to @Iqbal Hussein he says: "ET mod. Please stop suppressing my comments since your Pakistani readers do not even know about the uniform of the High Priest."
He feels insulted if he is called a Pakistani or a Muslim though he may pretend to be Wazir or Pashtun and keep insulting Pakistani Army (he calls them Punjabi Army) for it s military action in Waziristan. He would also refer to "House of Sauds" and also insults Pakistani woman when he commented just 2 days ago, that the Saudis have banned their men marrying Pakistani woman because not only the bride but also her family of over hundred will become a burden for the arab husband and saudis.
I said in one of my comments earlier, Pakistanis mock him as much as Indians. At times, readers have commented here saying "I am ashamed to be an Indian" or "I am ashamed to be a Pakistani". It is not that they are ashamed of their origin or nationality or their belonging but are ashamed of the acts committed by their compatriots. But, what can you expect from someone who is really ashamed of his origin, nationality and faith that he has to be in one camouflage or other constantly? You can only expect inconsistent statements which he thinks are pearls of wisdom. See how he says in his comments:"ET mod. Please stop suppressing my comments since your Pakistani readers do not even know about the uniform of the High Priest."
@RD Sultan: Wrong Again!!!!
India has been known as one common civilization way back since Alexander came to the subcontinent just before the Mauryas @300BC. It was he who called the subcontinent "Indio" from whence, the entire subcontinent has been known as India to the entire world. In fact even in the 14th century, way before the British, when Chris Columbus tried to find a route to "India" from the west, he meant the whole subcontinent and NOT just any particular kingdom.
When the British left, India had @550 princely states and kingdoms. The very basis of forming the India Nation was that they were all part of the same COMMON INDIAN CIVILIZATION. The only exception was made for Pakistan which was formed by joining the @150 princely states and kingdoms of the Indian civilization, that were the conquered and converted by the Arab Caliphate in 7th century AD.
The British had nothing to do with it framing the borders of Modern India. Otherwise, even Sri lanka, Nepal, Burma and Tibet would have been part of India as they were part of British India.
@Rick:
The concept of India as we understand today didn’t exist 5,000 years ago. The borders of modern day India, like modern day Pakistan, were drawn by the imperial British.
Sure, the geographical landmass we now call modern day India has been around for centuries but India was never one country with definitive borders. It was the British that unified India into one political polity.
@Rex Minor: India has the largest population of illetrates on this planet
What in the Holy God's name is "illetrates" O' wise and learned one?
So much hatred against Muslims by Indians. We Kashmiris are not blind. Modi cannot face the Kashmiri nation, because he is a coward. Let him come to Srinagar without armed guard and see what the people do to him.
This clown's end is coming soon. I believe in the intelligence and foresight of the Pakistanis. We Muslims have been backstabbed so many times by British, US, Russian, Hindus, Sikhs, etc. It's time for us to take our destiny in our own hands. Pakistan and Kashmir are united.
modi has all the right to say,who stopped our PM to say 20times about Indians harming separatist in Balochistan and Karachi.tit 4 tat for the real diplomacy.
@RD Sultan: Indian civilization is 5,000 years old and dates back to 3,500 BC. India was a united Kingdom comprising the whole of South Asia under Mauryas @300BC and Guptas @300-550AD.
There is no secret that shias in Kargil are pro-India and anti-Pakistan and same is the situation in Gilgit. Modi has made these comments to incite the shias against Pakistan.
@kamran: Modi has not gone to a Christian church or appeared in ethnic Christian attire, but we don't hold that against him.
As far as Christians are concerned, we are generally focused on uplifting our own community through education and other forms of social welfare. Indian Christians in India have become union ministers, chief ministers, election commissioner, etc. We are a well integrated community in India with full faith in the Indian constitution and the Indian legal system. If there is an untoward incident anywhere in the country, we Christians don't go on a rampage pelting stones and burning down our own homes. Even though it takes time, the Indian legal system has generally provided us succor.
So long as Modi treats all Indians equally notwithstanding his personal inclinations, tokenism matters little to us. Mahatma Gandhi was a staunch Hindu in his personal life and that sometimes crept into his actions as well, but he had deep respect for other faiths and treated all Indians equally.
@Rex Minor: Why you so concerned about Indian Muslims it will be better if you set your own house order, those who are being killed every day in Pakistan are also Muslims, the Indian Muslims are able to fight for their rights and know very well what is right or wrong for them.
@Iqbal Hussein: ET mod. Please stop suppressing my comments since your Pakistani readers do not even know about the uniform of the High Priest.
Enough of your non sense, Mr Modi is in the garb of the High Priest of Pagans and trying to provoke any surviving Conan from the massacre which took place on his watch and santified by the Indian court on the testimony of the Premier. Also notwithstanding your comments on Pakistanis education, according to the UNO India has the largest population of illetrates on this planet.
Rex Minor
1) Modi's observations may not be wrong but his timing is certainly skewed.. At one stroke he undid the hope he had generated & his salvo ended up looking like a cheap shot at Nawaz at this delicate juncture. (2) Modi joined RSS when BJP did not even exist.The man is trained by RSS which has strong anti-Muslim/Christian elements in its ranks. Why should anybody expect an RSS-man to wear a Muslim skull-cap? It would be like asking a member of India's Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen to wear a Tilak. Be fair: just as orthodox Muslims dislike Hindu practices Modi too has been demonstrably derisive about Muslim practices in the past, choosing his words carefully to ensure he doesn't fall foul with law or Election Commission. (3) Pakistanis who don't recognise the cap that Modi is wearing in picture are unfit to even discuss issues involving J&K. Irony is these are worn by people of area from where the great tributaries to Pakistan's life-line Indus originate! So much for the fabled "jugular-vein"!
" Modi's accusations 'most unfortunate': Foreign Office" +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Yes unfortunate but not incorrect !
Mr Modi's accusations are very unfortunate, but sadly it is true.
@Imran: if your radicalised Islamic (read Toxic) mindset had any respect for diversity....
"Having lost the lives of 55,000 of its citizens as a result of terrorism"....so don't you have enough military to kill all terrorist in your country. Then take USAs help. Why do you always cry saying the same song? What about the recent attempt of Pakistan embassy official trying for a terrorist attack via Srilanka? if that Paki official was born to his mother he should have stayed back in Srilanka. Why was he called back to Pak? Why did he run away ...anticipating strong retaliation from India? Do you and Nawaz sharif have answers. What about terrorists entering India through borders when Pak soldiers are busy firing at Indians? If you are jealous about Indian progress all of you please bend there yourself and bite what you see at your bottom.
" “Pakistan is the biggest victim of the menace,” adding that the country has lost the lives of 55,000 people because of terrorism." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Factually Wrong. In 1971 when East Pakistan was separated from West, far many more lives , perhaps in millions were lost. Paki FO will nill fail even an elementary test in history.They must issue a corrigendum.
@kamran: How would Pakistanis know about Ladakhi Cap and dress? Modi has worn all the caps that is not linked to a particular religion. Since muslim cap refers to a particular religion, he has refused to wear. All other caps like Rajasthani, Punjabi, Nepali, Himachali, Ladakhi, Naga, Arunachali are not linked to any specific religion. These caps are adorned by the people of all religion in that region.
@kamran: While you are entitled to your opinion - I will defend your right to criticize even though I will not agree with you - the least you can do is show some dignity while commenting, and not stoop to calling the Indian Prime Minister an "idiot". Mr. Modi has a lot more common sense than your entire Pakistan combined. The so-called "Muslim cap", which you are using as a bait to incite Indian Muslims (we don't care what Paki Muslims think of it!),is more of a religious symbol that many people will be averse to wearing, and the resentment it produces within people. So, for the majority of Muslims in India, this is understandable. But the cap which he is wearing during his visit to Leh and Ladakh is a cultural headgear (which also protects against the bitter cold and tends to keep people warm). This headgear is also worn by Nepalese and Tibetans. So, dear hate-mongering Pakistani troll, you are confusing apples and oranges. You see the devil in every corner of your life. Wake up and learn to broaden your horizon, and perhaps attend a school that will give you a good, modern education that will liberate your mind and present new perspectives. It is never too late to learn in life.
New Delhi has repeatedly accused Pakistan of intruding the Kargil area 15 years ago, a move that triggered confrontation between the two countries killing 1,000 on both sides.
Accused Pakistan? What kind of state of denial is ET in? Everyone and when I say that, I mean everyone who matters in the global politics knows this for a fact that terrorists trained and armed in Pakistan violated the LOC under the well-planned guidance and support by the Pakistan army. The same has been admitted and reiterated by your very own army generals and politicians.
And I see nothing wrong with Modi respectfully refusing to wear the cap. Though it is etiquette in place of worship to follow customs, it was in a felicitation ceremony that he refused to do so. In fact, he has always consciously kept from the minority appeasement that the erstwhile leaders have indulged in. Respecting a religious tradition or practice is one thing but that in no way necessitates practicing it yourself. What is so insulting about him keeping with the traditions of his own religion/ sect is something that defies all logic. For the uninitiated, respect is not in doing, its in being.
@ET, if I could live with your deep-rooted ignorance, the least you could do is to ensure that the right to expression is protected and upheld. Kindly do publish this.
So much chest thumping and empty bravado we display it is simply amazing. We are falling apart and going downhill. Confrontation with India never achieved any thing. Let's focus on internal issues.
Time to send another Sarri
The clothes he is wearing are exactly same as Kalash people in our north. Remember the ones who are being converted to Islam forcibly. Hats off to Indians, they not only respect all religions but also adopt their costumes. Political stunt or otherwise, they are a successful democracy.
@Prognosticator:
But 600 years ago, there was no real “Indian” country or civilization to begin with except separate squabbling petty ethnic groups and kingdoms.
ET PLEASE PUBLISH: @kamran: Mr. Modi is not Muslim and hence do not require to wear any of the religious symbols to appease any community like Pakistan's beloved Congress did all these years....he has been elected for he same purpose... And the hat u find so funny is traditional wear of the region he is visiting and Pakistanis believe this region as their own...point to ponder upon is that if you guys don't understand the local language or customs n traditions...which is an open secrect before world(ahmedi,Shia ....etc)....still u dare to claim the entire Kashmir region...
Modi who ?
I like the selection of the picture in this one.
Victimhood doesn't necessary give you the license to be the largest breeder and exporter of terrorists. This is a fig-leaf of an excuse. This recurring announcement of the foreign office has now become an international joke.
Modi's accusations 'most unfortunate' also the most stupid ones....
@kamran So does you prime minster Nawaz wears Dhoti ?. Keep your stupid advice to yourself, my Indian muslim brothers are not fools like you..
@kamran: Do you blame him? For 600 years, India has been facing the menace of the Muslim hordes invading and brutalizing India. Then came the English. You can't blame Indians of being wary of both. At least the English contributed technologically. All the Muslims left us were crypts and mausoleums.
Wait, the word Modi was mentioned. The injun trolls will be here sooner than flies get to fresh faeces!
The Chaiwala has started thinking loudly since his opposite number in Pakistan went over to offer tributes to the Indian strong man in the region, disregarding the reality that he was meeting the man on whose watch thousands of muslims lost theie lives.
Rex Minor
@East View: @Imran:
He also talks funny.
@Imran:
He also talks funny.
Maybe the HAT blocks the sun from the sides ... or is he acting a magician with a rabbit inside that HAT
Shame on you all for not knowing that he is wearing a 'Ladakhi' outfit.
Kindly also highlight the points on Why and How Pakistan became the Victim of Terrorism
This idiot has been seen in every hat under the sun except a Muslim one. In fact, he expressly refused a Muslim cap when given one.
Muslims of India and Pakistan should take note and be prepared for the coming future.
The hat with the red horns........ great picture :-)
I think it's the hat !
What's up with the funny hat Modi is wearing?