The Foreign Office has condemned the recent reckless and incendiary statement issued by the Indian Home Minister, Amit Shah, who threatened Pakistan with surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LOC).
Yesterday, it was reported in the Indian media that the Home Minister had said that the time for dialogue with Pakistan was over and India would now carry out surgical strikes in Pakistan in case the latter transgresses.
Responding to the Indian Home Minister, Foreign Office’s spokesperson, Asim Iftikhar Ahmed, said that Amit Shah’s statement undermines the sanctity of the ceasefire agreement at the LOC, which was signed in February this year and is being upheld since.
These delusional remarks are based on animosity towards Pakistan and only reflect the tendency of the BJP-led Indian government and RSS, a right-wing Hindu extremist group supported by the state, to escalate regional tensions for political reasons.
The spokesperson added that the real purpose behind Amit Shah’s absurd statement is to divert the attention of global stakeholders from its state terrorism in Pakistan and human rights violations against the Muslims in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) and parts of the country.
Pakistan will once again apprise all key regional and international players about India’s nefarious plans to conduct surgical strikes in Pakistan as part of its efforts to demonize Pakistan on a global stage.
The spokesperson unequivocally stated that although Pakistan is a peace-loving country, it will give a befitting response to India in case it tries to violate Pakistan’s borders.
He suggested India to recall Pakistan’s gallant response to its botched Balakot airstrike in February 2019.
After the Indian violation of Pakistan’s border, a Pakistani fighter jet shot down two Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter aircraft as the former was returning back from IIOJ&K after successfully targeting Indian military installations.
The episode resulted in the capture of the Indian pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who landed in Pakistan after his Mig-21 jet was blown midair chasing a Pakistani jet.
The spokesperson said that Prime Minister Imran Khan announced to repatriate the disgraced Indian pilot as a goodwill gesture and in an effort towards bringing down cross-border tensions.
