Pakistan condemns 'frustrated' India for irresponsible statement on Azad Kashmir

Pakistan on Tuesday strongly condemned and rejected the inflammatory and irresponsible remarks by Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar regarding Azad Jammu and Kashmir. 

The Foreign Office, in a statement from Islamabad, said coming from an occupying state, such irresponsible and belligerent statements had the potential to further escalate tensions in the region.

Earlier this week, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had said that India hoped to gain physical control of Azad Jammu and Kashmir one day, and considered the territory part of India. 

The Foreign Office said the remarks were an obvious manifestation of India’s utter frustration over the continued international censure of its egregious human rights violations in the occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan also called on the international community to take serious cognizance of India’s aggressive posturing about taking ‘physical jurisdiction’ of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The statement added that Pakistan stood for peace, but would be ready to respond effectively to any act of aggression. "India today is also a unique and deplorable case of a state which promotes hate crimes." 

"It consistently fails to bring to account those who indulge in cow vigilantism, mob lynching and forced conversions and are guilty of violating India’s own laws," the FO said.