ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) has firmly dismissed recent statements made by Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar regarding the Kashmir dispute. The FO stressed that the issue is internationally recognized and must be resolved according to United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and the will of the Kashmiri people.
In a statement, FO Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch emphasized that any suggestion of unilaterally settling the Kashmir dispute is both misleading and dangerously delusional. She reiterated that India’s unilateral actions in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) cannot change the reality of the dispute.
Baloch also reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to diplomacy and dialogue but warned that any hostile actions would be met with strong resistance. She called on India to move away from its provocative rhetoric and engage in meaningful discussions for a fair and lasting resolution to the Kashmir conflict.
The spokesperson highlighted that true peace and stability in South Asia hinge on a resolution of the Kashmir issue in line with UNSC resolutions and the inalienable rights of the Kashmiri people.
Pakistan has downgraded its relations with India since the Modi government unilaterally revoked the special status of IIOJK in August 2019, a move that Islamabad argues has undermined the potential for dialogue between the two nations. While tensions remain high, both countries agreed to renew the 2003 ceasefire agreement along the Line of Control (LoC) in February 2021.