He says Delhi sponsors terrorists operating from Afghan soil. FO calls Pak’s actions “legitimate, proportionate” and t
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan on Wednesday strongly rejected India’s criticism of its recent military action against terror hideouts in Afghanistan, calling New Delhi’s statement “baseless” and saying India was actively sponsoring terror groups operating against Pakistan from Afghan soil.
The Ministry of External Affairs issued the response after India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) condemned Pakistan’s cross-border attacks, describing them as a “blatant act of aggression” and a threat to regional peace and stability. India also claimed that the attacks reflected Pakistan’s “persistent pattern of reckless behavior” and amounted to an attempt to “externalize its internal failings through desperate acts of violence beyond its borders.”
Responding to India’s allegations, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Pakistan’s actions were “legitimate, targeted and proportionate” measures against terrorist infrastructure in Afghanistan.
“Pakistan rejects the Indian Ministry of External Affairs’ baseless statement regarding Pakistan’s legitimate, targeted and proportionate actions against terrorist infrastructure in Afghanistan,” the spokesperson said.
The Ministry of External Affairs further described India’s comments as “absurd”, saying they had been made by a country that had historically interfered with and undermined the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its neighbors in contravention of the United Nations Charter.
The spokesperson also noted that India continued to suppress the right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, in violation of relevant UN resolutions.
He further said that India had been “actively aiding and sponsoring terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil against Pakistan” in violation of the relevant sanctions regime of the United Nations Security Council and continued to play the role of regional spoiler.
“These baseless allegations and inflammatory statements against Pakistan should not be accepted,” the FO said.
The statement reiterated that Pakistan would continue to take all appropriate measures to ensure the safety of its citizens in accordance with international law.
The latest exchange came days after Pakistan carried out intelligence-based operations and airstrikes against what it described as terrorist hideouts along the border with Afghanistan following the deadly Karachi attack claimed by the banned Jamaat-ul-Ahrar faction of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Islamabad maintains that the perpetrators of several recent terrorist attacks have operated from sanctuaries inside Afghanistan.
