FO accuses India of shifting blame, reiterates stance on Kashmir and water sharing
Tahir Hussain Andrabi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. PHOTO: Radio Pakistan
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday rejected comments attributed to Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and reiterated its stance on the Indus Waters Treaty and the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region.
In a statement released by the Spokesperson’s Office, Tahir Hussain Andrabi said India “sought to distract 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 proxy sabotage, covert support for militant networks and extraterritorial activities. He cited the case of Commander 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 Foreign Ministry said India “continues its illegal and violent military occupation” of the region. He said Pakistan would continue to extend political, moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people in their “struggle to realize their right to self-determination” in line with United Nations Security Council resolutions.
The rebuttal follows Jaishankar’s public remarks, in which he said India had the right to defend itself against “bad neighbors” and questioned why a country that, in his words, persists in terrorism should expect the benefits of good-neighborly cooperation.
“Many years ago we agreed to a water sharing agreement… but if you have decades of terrorism, there is no good neighborliness,” Jaishankar was quoted as saying. “You can’t say… Please share water with me, but I will continue terrorism – it’s not reconcilable.”
The Foreign Office statement also addresses recent discussions around the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it an international agreement “concluded in good faith and at considerable cost.” He warned that any unilateral departure from the treaty framework would “undermine regional stability” and “call into question” the credibility of commitments made under international legal obligations.
The ministry said Pakistan would take “all necessary measures” to safeguard its rights under the treaty.
This exchange comes as both sides continue to express 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 was the first high-level contact between Pakistani and Indian officials since the May 2025 military conflict.
