Pakistan has warned India that any aggression against it will be met with a forceful response, after rejecting fresh remarks by the Indian defence minister as a threat to regional peace.
Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan delivered the warning at his weekly press briefing in Islamabad on Friday, saying the Indian minister’s comments reflected what he called a “hegemonic mindset” in New Delhi.
He said the remarks carried an implied threat of Indian aggression against Pakistan, and urged New Delhi to drop what he described as dangerous rhetoric and to act responsibly.
“Let there be no ambiguity, Pakistan remains fully prepared to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity against any ill-advised aggression,” Khan said, adding that Pakistan’s restraint and commitment to peace should not be mistaken for weakness.
The exchange follows comments by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh that any future terrorist attack originating from Pakistan would draw a stronger response from India.
Khan reminded New Delhi of last year’s confrontation, when the two countries fought a brief war in May after an attack on tourists in Pahalgam, in Indian-administered Kashmir, killed 26 people. Pakistan denied involvement and called for a neutral investigation, while India blamed Pakistan-based attackers and carried out missile strikes inside Pakistan. Islamabad says it shot down eight Indian fighter jets, including three Rafales, before a United States-brokered ceasefire ended the fighting on 10 May.
He urged India to draw what he called the appropriate lessons from that episode and to work for lasting peace in the region.
At the same briefing, Khan said the Foreign Office was digitising its attestation and apostille services. Electronic attestation has been launched through the ministry’s portal, and a shift to electronic apostille is under way, with eligible applicants in some cases exempted from appearing in person, a step aimed in particular at overseas Pakistanis. He added that an inquiry into alleged irregularities in attestation services was under way, with findings to be announced once complete.
