FO accuses India of deflecting blame, reiterates its position on Kashmir and water sharing
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tahir Hussain Andrabi. PHOTO: Radio Pakistan
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday rejected statements attributed to Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and reiterated its position on the Indus Waters Treaty and the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir.
In a statement issued by the Spokesperson’s Office, Tahir Hussain Andrabi said India was “trying to divert attention from its own troubling record as a neighbor that promotes terrorism and contributes to regional instability.”
The statement referred to what Pakistan described as documented cases of sabotage through proxies, covert support for militant networks and extraterritorial activities. He cited the case of Major Kulbhushan Jadhav as an example of “organized and state-sponsored terrorism directed against Pakistan.”
Jadhav was captured in Balochistan in March 2016 and later confessed to his association with India’s Research and Analysis Wing and involvement in espionage and terrorism in Pakistan, according to Pakistani authorities. He remains imprisoned in Pakistan.
Regarding Jammu and Kashmir, the Ministry of External Affairs said India “continues its illegal and violent military occupation” of the region. He said Pakistan would continue to provide political, moral and diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir in their “struggle to realize their right to self-determination” in line with United Nations Security Council resolutions.
The rebuttal followed public statements by Jaishankar, in which he said India had the right to defend itself against “bad neighbors” and questioned why a country that, in his words, persists with terrorism should expect the benefits of neighborly cooperation.
“Many years ago we agreed on a water sharing agreement… but if you have decades of terrorism there is no good neighbourliness,” Jaishankar said. “You can’t say… Please share water with me, but I will continue with terrorism; that is not reconcilable.”
The Foreign Ministry statement also addressed the recent discussion on the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it an international agreement “concluded in good faith and at considerable cost.” He warned that any unilateral deviation from the treaty framework would “undermine regional stability” and “call into question” the credibility of commitments under international legal obligations.
The ministry said Pakistan would take “all necessary measures” to safeguard its rights under the treaty.
The exchange comes as both sides continue to signal their positions on the Indus Waters Treaty and regional security issues, while relying on existing mechanisms for routine exchanges.
The development follows a brief interaction earlier this week when National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and Jaishankar shook hands in Dhaka during the funeral of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. It marked the first high-level contact between Pakistani and Indian officials since the May 2025 military conflict.
