MULTAN – Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Sunday warned India of any misadventure against Pakistan.
They had reliable intelligence that India could again launch aggression against Pakistan between April 16 to 20. However, Pakistan was fully prepared to defend its sovereignty and respond effectively to any aggressive move of the enemy, he said while talking to media persons.
Following the Pulwama incident, he said, the Indian government led by Narendra Modi had created a war hysteria and tried to damage peace of the region. Modi had put a peace of the region in jeopardy for his political gains.
Qureshi said Pakistan had always behaved responsibly in response to India’s irresponsible behaviour. The heads of Indian forces during a meeting of the cabinet committee on security sought Modi’s permission for aggression against Pakistan and he gave them a free hand.
Pakistan, he said, always talked about de-escalation but India, on the contrary, tried to escalate the situation. India could attack military targets and Pakistan was drawing the attention of the international community in advance towards the expected aggression by India.
He said India could stage another Pulwama-like incident to justify its misadventure against Pakistan. Any Indian aggressive move against Pakistan would have negative impacts in the region, he added.
The minister said the Foreign Office had shared concerns with the diplomats of P-5 countries. Pakistan wanted that the international community should take notice of India’s irresponsible attitude and refrain it from damaging peace of the region.
He regretted that the international community remained silent when India violated the Line of Control (LoC) and the Pakistani airspace.
Instead of being a silent spectator, he said, the world community should play its role for maintaining peace in the region.
Narendra Modi was putting regional peace at stake for his political gains, he remarked.
The foreign minister said Indian atrocities on innocent Kashmiris in the occupied Kashmir had also increased. Pakistan had always supported the peaceful struggle of the Kashmiris for independence and it would continue to extend moral and diplomatic support, he added.
He said India made three claims related to its surgical strikes, including targeting of three terrorist camps, killing 350 terrorists, and shooting down an F-16 fighter of Pakistan. All those had proved baseless as an international community, including the United States, had also rejected them.
He, however, added that the new Indian planning of an attack on Pakistani territory could be dangerous for the region. India had been continuously firing at Pakistani civilian population along the LoC following the Pulwama incident, he added.
He said Pakistan had released the captured Indian pilot as a goodwill gesture as it wanted to de-escalate the situation.
Despite the Indian aggression, he said, Pakistan sent its delegation for dialogue to frame terms and conditions for the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor.
The second phase of the dialogue was scheduled for April 2 at Wahga border but India refused to join the talks, he added.
Pakistan, he said, again decided to release 360 Indian prisoners as a peace gesture.
He said the international community should now acknowledge that who was endeavouring for peace and who was putting it in jeopardy. The world should as to who wanted peace and who had political designs, he added
He said Pakistan always wished for peace and it would continue the same spirit in future. Talks were the only way forward to settle all the issues between the two nuclear states, including Kashmir, water, Sir Creek, corridors, economic cooperation and others.
Responding to a query, the foreign minister categorically stated that Pakistan reserved the right to safeguard its frontiers. The morale of Pakistan armed forces and masses were very high and they were united to counter any sort of aggression from India, he added.
Responding to another question, Qureshi said the government and opposition were on the same page on national security issues.
He, however, added that opposition had the right to hold political protests. The government had never denied holding talks with the opposition parties, he added.
