Islamabad: Pakistan called on the international community to take “serious cognizance” of India's aggressive posturing about physical jurisdiction of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Pakistan warned that such “irresponsible and belligerent” statements from New Delhi have the potential to further escalate tensions and seriously jeopardise peace and security in the region.
Pakistan's statement came hours after India asserted that PoK is a part of India and that it expects to have “physical jurisdiction” over it one day.
"Our position has, is and will always be very clear on PoK, that it is part of India and we expect one day we will have physical jurisdiction over it,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said addressing his first press conference after assuming the office in the Modi 2.0 government in May.
Jaishankar also hit out at Pakistan, saying India has a "unique challenge" from one neighbour and it would remain a challenge until that neighbour addresses the cross-border terrorism emanating from their side of the border.
India maintained that henceforth talks with Pakistan would be only about PoK and not on Kashmir.
"We strongly condemn and reject the inflammatory and irresponsible remarks" made by the Indian External Affairs Minister regarding Pakistan and PoK. These remarks are an obvious manifestation of India's utter frustration over the continued international censure of its egregious human rights violations in Kashmir," Pakistan's Foreign Office said in a statement.
India cannot divert international attention from its crimes against the innocent people of Kashmir blaming Pakistan. Pakistan stands for peace, but would be ready to respond effectively to any act of aggression, the statement said.
Instead of resorting to jingoistic rhetoric, India must rescind its illegal actions, stop forthwith grave human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir, refrain from violating international law, and fully comply with UN Security Council resolutions for a final settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, the statement added.
Tensions between India and Pakistan flared after New Delhi scrapped the special status from Jammu and Kashmir on August 5. Reacting to India's move on Kashmir, Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian High Commissioner.
Pakistan has been trying to internationalise the Kashmir issue but India has asserted that the abrogation of Article 370 was its "internal matter". New Delhi has also asked Islamabad to accept the reality and stop its anti-India rhetoric.
(With inputs from PTI)
