Islamabad accuses New Delhi of attempting to divert attention from its control of contested territory after Rajnath Singh rules out broader talks.
Pakistan has strongly condemned recent comments by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on the Kashmir dispute, describing them as “highly provocative and irresponsible” and accusing India of seeking to divert attention from what it calls its continuous occupation of the region.
Speaking on Sunday at the Kargil Vijay Diwas commemorations in Dras, Ladakh, Singh stated that India would hold no talks with Pakistan except on the issue of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). He described PoK as “a part of India illegally occupied by Pakistan” and said any future dialogue would be limited to that territory alone.
Islamabad Rejects India's PoK Remarks:
“Our intention is clear. There will be no talks with Pakistan. If talks happen, they will happen only regarding PoK,” Singh said. He also accused Pakistan of making terrorism part of its state policy, claiming the distinction between its military and militant groups had disappeared, and warned that any “misadventure” would be met with a response “beyond their imagination.”
Pakistan’s Foreign Office responded on Monday, rejecting the remarks. Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the comments distorted the internationally recognised status of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, which remains on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council.
“Such insinuations are an attempt to divert attention from India’s continued occupation of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), its sponsorship of terrorism across the region, as well as its domestic instability,” the Foreign Office statement said.
Pakistan Calls for UN Action on Kashmir:
Pakistan urged the international community, particularly the United Nations, to take note of India’s “continued rogue behaviour” and to hold it accountable for failing to uphold relevant UN Security Council resolutions that, according to Islamabad, guarantee the right to self-determination for the people of Kashmir.
The exchange comes amid longstanding tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours over the disputed Himalayan region, which both claim in full but control in part. India refers to the portion under Pakistani administration as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, while Pakistan calls the area under Indian control Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The latest verbal confrontation follows a period of heightened rhetoric and past military exchanges, including India’s Operation Sindoor last year. Both sides continue to maintain entrenched positions, with little progress toward formal dialogue.