NEW DELHI: India responded on Tuesday to Pakistan’s characterization of PM Modi’s comments on bilateral matters as “misleading and one-sided.” The external affairs ministry remarked that the global community recognizes that the core issue lies in Pakistan’s “active promotion and sponsorship of cross-border terrorism,” and insisted that Islamabad should “vacate Indian territory unlawfully occupied.”
During a recent interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman, PM Modi stated on Sunday that “every effort to establish peace with Pakistan has been met with hostility and betrayal,” expressing hope that “wisdom would prevail in Islamabad’s leadership to enhance bilateral relationships.”
Fridman inquired about the tense relations between the two nuclear-capable nations, asking if there was any potential for friendship and peace. PM Modi reflected on India’s partition in 1947, labeling it as a painful and bloody period in history. He noted that although India accepted the partition, Pakistan did not opt for peaceful coexistence.
“Having gotten their way, we anticipated they would embrace a live-and-let-live approach, yet they chose not to cultivate a harmonious existence. Time and again, they have confronted India, conducting a proxy war against us,” PM Modi conveyed in the podcast.
He accused Pakistan of terror exportation, indicating that India is not the only target; terrorist acts linked to Pakistan have ramifications worldwide.
“Wherever terrorism surfaces globally, the evidence leads back to Pakistan. Consider the September 11 attacks, for instance; the orchestrator, Osama bin Laden—where did he ultimately find refuge? In Pakistan. The world acknowledges that terrorism and the terrorist mindset are deeply ingrained in Pakistan,” he elaborated.
PM Modi further denounced Pakistan as an “epicenter of turmoil,” urging its leaders to “renounce the path of terrorism” and strive for peace. He emphasized that the people of Pakistan yearn for peace, having endured years of internal discord and terrorist violence.
In response to PM Modi’s statements, Islamabad brought up the Kashmir issue, labeling it an “unresolved matter.”
“The comments are misleading and one-sided. They conveniently neglect the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, which has remained unresolved for the last seventy years despite India’s solemn commitments to the United Nations, Pakistan, and the Kashmiri populace,” stated the Pakistan Foreign Office, as reported by the PTI news agency.
Countering Pakistan’s assertions, India’s ministry of external affairs described Islamabad as a supporter of cross-border terrorism, which serves as “the largest obstacle to peace and stability in the region.”
“We take note that Pakistan has reiterated comments regarding the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The global community recognizes that the principal issue is Pakistan’s active promotion and sponsorship of cross-border terrorism. Indeed, this constitutes the greatest hindrance to peace and security in the region. Rather than spreading falsehoods, Pakistan should vacate Indian land currently held under its illegal and forcible occupation,” the ministry of external affairs stated.
