Pakistan Rejects India’s Remarks, Accuses New Delhi of Promoting Terrorism and Regional Instability
Islamabad: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) of Pakistan has strongly rejected the irresponsible statements of Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, accusing India of attempting to divert attention from its alarming record as a neighbor that promotes terrorism and fosters regional instability.
While the statement did not directly reference Jaishankar’s remarks, it came after Indian media reported that he had referred to “bad neighbors” while defending India’s right to counter terrorism. According to The Hindu, Jaishankar said, “Unfortunately, we have bad neighbors, especially towards the west. When a country deliberately continues terrorism without remorse, we have the right to protect our people.”
He also referred to the Indus Waters Treaty, highlighting the dispute following the attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Occupied Kashmir, in April, which India attributed to Pakistan without evidence. Jaishankar noted that while the treaty was signed decades ago in good faith to promote goodwill and good-neighborly relations, prolonged acts of terrorism undermine both goodwill and the benefits of such agreements.
Responding on Saturday, Pakistan’s Foreign Office stated that it categorically rejects India’s irresponsible statements. It said India was once again attempting to divert attention from its disturbing role as a neighbor fostering terrorism and destabilizing the region.
The statement emphasized that the world is aware of India’s documented role in promoting terrorist activities, particularly within Pakistan. The case of Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav, apprehended in March 2016 in Balochistan and linked to India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), was cited as a clear example of state-sponsored terrorism. Jadhav admitted to espionage and terrorist activities in Pakistan and remains in Pakistani custody.
The MoFA also highlighted India’s repeated cross-border killings, proxy attacks, and secret support for terrorist networks, attributing these actions to the extremist Hindutva ideology and its violent supporters.
Pakistan further stressed that India continues its illegal and violent military occupation of Jammu and Kashmir, while Pakistan will continue to provide full political, moral, and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
Regarding the Indus Waters Treaty, Pakistan emphasized that it is an international agreement signed in good faith at great cost, warning that any unilateral violation by India would threaten regional stability and raise questions about India’s credibility in adhering to international legal obligations. Pakistan affirmed it would take all necessary measures to safeguard its legitimate rights under the treaty.
This development comes after a brief high-level engagement between Pakistani and Indian officials in Dhaka during the funeral of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, where National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq shook hands with Jaishankar—the first senior-level contact since the military tensions of May 2025.
