- By Shivangi Sharma
- Tue, 18 Mar 2025 09:34 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
India has issued a strong response to Pakistan’s recent remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s discussion about Jammu and Kashmir during his interview with renowned podcaster Lex Fridman. On Tuesday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) firmly stated that Pakistan should focus on vacating the illegally occupied region of Kashmir, commonly known as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), rather than spreading misinformation.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated India’s long-standing position, saying, “Instead of spreading lies, Pakistan should vacate under its illegal and forcible occupation.” This strong statement was made in response to Pakistani officials’ criticism of PM Modi’s views on the region.
MEA Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, "We note that Pakistan has once again made some comments about the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The world knows that the real issue is Pakistan’s active promotion and sponsorship of cross-border terrorism. In fact… pic.twitter.com/bGNLFf26E6
— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2025
PM Modi’s Comments On J-K
In his interview with Lex Fridman, aired on Sunday, PM Modi spoke about India’s repeated but unsuccessful attempts to foster peace with Pakistan. He emphasized that every effort made with noble intentions was met with hostility and betrayal from Islamabad. Modi expressed hope that “wisdom prevails upon the leadership in Islamabad to choose the path of peace.”
Pakistan’s Response And Allegations
Following Modi’s remarks, Pakistan’s Foreign Office issued a statement calling his comments “misleading and one-sided.” Pakistan accused India of ignoring the Kashmir dispute and failing to uphold international commitments. The statement further claimed that the Kashmir issue had remained unresolved for seven decades and alleged Indian involvement in “state-sanctioned oppression” in the region. Additionally, Pakistan accused India of engaging in terror activities and targeted assassinations in foreign territories.
Pakistan positioned itself as a proponent of constructive dialogue and diplomatic engagement, blaming India’s “rigid approach and hegemonic ambitions” for the lack of progress in peace efforts.
India’s Focus On Terrorism And PoK
The Ministry of External Affairs firmly rejected Pakistan’s accusations and emphasized that the core issue hindering regional peace is Pakistan’s continued support for cross-border terrorism. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “We note that Pakistan has once again made some comments about the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. But the world is well aware that the real issue is Pakistan's active promotion and sponsorship of cross-border terrorism. That remains the biggest roadblock to peace and security in the region.”
India reiterated its stance that Pakistan should first end its support for terrorism and withdraw from the territory it illegally occupies in Kashmir instead of making baseless allegations against India.