Pakistan condemns India’s fresh military threats

Pakistan on Friday strongly condemned Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s latest remarks threatening military action against Pakistan. The Foreign Office warned that such statements reflected an aggressive approach and posed risks to regional peace and stability.

Singh warned on Thursday that any fresh terrorist activity originating from Pakistan would invite a military strike more severe than the previous one. In response, Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan said Pakistan rejected the threats and would not tolerate any attempt to undermine its sovereignty or territorial integrity.

During his weekly press briefing, Haider said India should learn from the military confrontation between the two countries in May last year. He maintained that Pakistan had demonstrated its military capabilities and determination to defend itself against aggression.

The spokesperson stressed that Pakistan’s commitment to peace and restraint should not be interpreted as a sign of weakness. He warned that any future military aggression would receive a strong response from Islamabad.

Haider urged New Delhi to abandon its hostile rhetoric and adopt a responsible approach to prevent further tensions in South Asia. He said lasting regional peace required restraint and respect for national sovereignty.

The exchange comes amid continued tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours over security concerns and the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Responding to questions about India’s decision to standardise the names of 28 geographical features in Ladakh, Haider reiterated Pakistan’s position on the Kashmir dispute. China has also opposed India’s move, describing it as illegal.

The spokesperson said India’s August 5, 2019, decision to revoke occupied Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status was illegal and could not change the territory’s disputed status. He maintained that the future of Jammu and Kashmir must be decided in accordance with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

Separately, Haider outlined reforms aimed at improving the Foreign Office’s document attestation and apostille services. He said the ministry was gradually digitising and automating the process to make it faster, more transparent and accessible to applicants.

The ministry has introduced electronic attestation through its online portal, while work on electronic apostille services is continuing. Under the new arrangements, eligible applicants may also be exempted from appearing in person, subject to prescribed safeguards.

The reforms are expected to make the process easier for overseas Pakistanis who need official documents authenticated for use abroad.

The announcement follows an investigation into alleged irregularities involving fake apostille stickers. The Federal Investigation Agency’s Anti-Corruption Circle in Islamabad had previously uncovered a suspected network allegedly involved in preparing and using counterfeit stickers in collusion with foreign ministry officials.