FO Spokesperson Labels Remarks as Propaganda, Cites May 2025 Conflict as Proof of Resolve
Pakistan’s Foreign Office has issued a strong rebuke to Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for what it termed “highly inflammatory, baseless, and irresponsible comments” against the Pakistan Army.
The statement, released on Sunday, came in response to remarks by Jaishankar in an interview with Indian broadcaster NDTV. The Indian minister alleged that many of Delhi’s problems with Islamabad “emanated from the Pakistan Army,” claiming that “the ideological hostility towards India comes from the Pakistan Army.”
Defense of Sovereignty and Institutional Integrity
FO Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi firmly rejected the allegations, stating that Pakistan remains a responsible state. He emphasized that all national institutions, including the armed forces, are dedicated to protecting the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“Pakistan is a responsible state and its all institutions, including armed forces, are a pillar of national security,” Andrabi asserted in the official statement.
Reference to Past Conflict and Accusation of Distraction Tactics
The spokesperson pointed to the May 2025 conflict between the two nations as evidence of the Pakistani military’s professionalism and resolve. He stated that the event “vividly demonstrated Pakistan armed forces’ professionalism as well as their resolve to defend the motherland… against any Indian aggression in a befitting, effective yet responsible manner.”
Andrabi characterized the Indian leadership’s attempts to defame Pakistan’s state institutions as part of a propaganda campaign. He accused New Delhi of seeking to “distract attention from its destabilising actions in the region and beyond, as well as state-sponsored terrorism in Pakistan.”
“Such incendiary rhetoric only exemplifies the extent of India’s disregard for amity, peace, and stability in our region,” the spokesperson added.
Call for Indian Introspection and Reiteration of Pakistani Stance
In a pointed retort, the FO statement suggested India should instead investigate what it described as a “fascist and revisionist Hindutva ideology” within its own borders. The statement claimed this ideology has “unleashed a reign of mob justice, lynchings, arbitrary detentions, and demolition of properties and places of worship,” alleging that the “Indian state and leadership both have become hostages of this terror in the name of religion.”
Despite the sharp exchange, Andrabi reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to “co-existence, dialogue and diplomacy.” However, he made clear that the country “remains fully prepared to defend its sovereignty and national interests.”
