Islamabad, July 28, 2026: Pakistan on Monday strongly condemned what it described as the “highly provocative and irresponsible” remarks made by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh regarding the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, warning that India should not underestimate Pakistan’s resolve to respond to any aggression.
In a statement, the Foreign Office (FO) rejected Singh’s comments, saying they distorted internationally recognised facts about the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and threatened regional peace and security.
The reaction came after the Indian defence minister said there would be “no talks with Pakistan” and claimed that any future dialogue would only focus on Azad Jammu and Kashmir, which he alleged was “illegally occupied by Pakistan.” He also warned that any “misadventure” by Pakistan would invite a response “beyond their imagination.”
Responding to the remarks, the Foreign Office said such statements misrepresented the internationally recognised status of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, which remains on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council.
“The statement not only distorts facts regarding the UN and internationally recognised Jammu and Kashmir dispute but also reflects the Indian government’s deliberate policy of threatening regional and international peace and security,” the Foreign Office said.
It added that the remarks were an attempt to divert international attention from India’s continued occupation of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), its alleged sponsorship of terrorism in the region and its internal challenges.
The Foreign Office further warned that while India continued to resort to “aggressive and belligerent rhetoric”, it should not underestimate Pakistan’s determination to defend its sovereignty.
“India must not underestimate the people and government of Pakistan’s unwavering resolve and determination to thwart any Indian adventurism, as demonstrated by the entire Pakistani nation and its valiant armed forces during Operation Bunyanum Marsoos last year,” the statement said.
The Foreign Office also urged the international community, particularly the United Nations, to take notice of what it described as India’s continued disregard for UN Security Council resolutions guaranteeing the right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Separately, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said India’s repeated attempts to rewrite internationally recognised legal realities through coercive rhetoric could not alter the status of Jammu and Kashmir.
In a statement posted on X, Asif said Singh’s remarks reflected a continued effort to distort established legal realities through political rhetoric and coercive posturing.
“Such statements neither alter the status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir nor contribute to regional peace, stability or meaningful dialogue,” he said.
The defence minister also rejected India’s allegations against Pakistan, claiming New Delhi lacked credibility because of what he described as its own record of state-sponsored terrorism and destabilising activities in the region.
He warned that India’s rhetoric risked lowering the threshold for interstate conflict in South Asia, while reiterating that Pakistan remained committed to peace and dialogue.
“Pakistan remains committed to peace and dialogue, but its resolve to safeguard its sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security is absolute and must never be tested,” Asif said.
He further alleged that the Indian defence minister’s remarks were intended to divert attention from India’s domestic political challenges and growing public discontent with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.
