Pakistan-China military cooperation: FO condemns Indian defence chief's remarks

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Thursday strongly condemned India's defence chief recent "belligerent rhetoric" about Pakistan-China military cooperation, and recalled that "New Delhi's defense capabilities have been embarrassingly exposed to the world not far ago".

Speaking at his weekly media briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri stated that such belligerent statements from senior military leadership of India provide insight into how the BJP-RSS mindset - a dangerous mix of extremist ideology, hegemonic ambitions and obsession with Pakistan has permeated Indian state institutions.

"Unfortunately, the Indian government, in response to any geopolitical, economic or military setback, instead of learning from it's mistakes and instituting course correction, simply doubles down on it's miscalculation and bellicose rhetoric," Chaudhri said in response to Indian Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Bipin Rawat's recent provocative statement against Pakistan.

"India's defense capabilities have been embarrassingly exposed to the world not far ago," the spokesperson said, adding that General Rawat would be better served to focus on his job rather than making pointless accusations against peaceful neighbours.

Rather than whipping up anti-Pakistan sentiments, he added that the Indian leadership should focus on peaceful resolution of outstanding disputes, particularly the Jammu and Kashmir dispute as per international law and the relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.

"Such belligerent rhetoric has accomplished nothing for India other than conflict and humiliation," he asserted. As for Pakistan and China cooperation, he added "we are 'All-Weather Strategic Co-operative Partners' and remain committed to promoting peace, stability and development in the region".

To a question about the review and consideration case of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), he said that India has responded to Pakistan's earlier offer of appointing a lawyer to pursue the case in the court. However, he added that Indian side has again expressed reservations over the consular access given to commander Jadhav, and once again sought an "unimpeded and uninterrupted" consular access, "for which Pakistan is ready to grant".

But the spokesperson reiterated that India can only hire a Pakistani lawyer who has license of the court for fighting the case in the IHC for review and reconsideration as per the International Court of Justice (ICJ) verdict.

He also made it clear that Pakistan, being a response state, is only taking steps to comply with the ICJ's judgment, and it would not neither be blackmailed nor be it succumbed to Indian pressure.

About the situation in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir, he said that India must accept the fact that "India-Pakistan Question" would remain on the agenda of the UN Security Council, till the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute as per the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

"The only way India can get the Jammu and Kashmir dispute off the UN Security Council agenda is by letting the Kashmiris exercise their inalienable right to self-determination through a free and impartial plebiscite under the UN auspices," he asserted, adding that the international community must play its role in making India comply with its obligations under international law, the UN Charter and the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

About the latest incidents at the China-India border, he said that Pakistan had been repeatedly emphasizing that India's expansionist, and unilateral actions, particularly since 5 August last year, had been imperilling regional peace and security.

He said the latest situation at the China-India border areas validated Pakistan's concerns and demonstrated that India's belligerence remained a major impediment in resolving the issues at its borders.

He said that Pakistan believed that it was imperative that China-India border issues were resolved in line with the agreed understandings and bilateral agreements through established mechanisms and peace and tranquillity was maintained in the region.

About the Indian the ceasefire violations by India along Line of Control, he said that a senior Indian diplomat was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Thursday to register Pakistan's strong protest over ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the LoC on the night of 8th September 2020, resulting in serious injuries to three innocent civilians.

He said that the Indian occupation forces along the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB) had been continuously targeting civilian-populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-calibre mortars and automatic weapons. This year, India has committed 2,199 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 17 shahadats, and serious injuries to 171 innocent civilians, he added.

Responding to a question, the spokesperson said that Pakistan's position on the Durand Line along Afghanistan was "very clear", adding that Pakistan-Afghanistan border was internationally recognised. "We hope that Afghanistan will not make any statement on the Durand Line in the future," he added.

About the Chinese president's visit to Pakistan, he said that the two sides were engaged at diplomatic level to firm up the dates for his visit to the country. To a question, he reiterated Pakistan's strong condemnations of the publication of blasphemous sketches by a French magazine, Charlie Hebdo. He said that the matter had also been taken up with the French government at diplomatic level.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020