Islamabad: Pakistan has once again stated that a provocative statement by the Indian Defence Minister has raised alarms in all thinking and conscious organizations vested in peace, security, and stability, as well as the upholding of international law. This was stated by the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Tahir Andrabi, at his weekly media briefing in Islamabad today.

According to Radio Pakistan, the Spokesperson described the statement of the Indian Defence Minister as deeply troubling. He said Pakistan welcomes all the statements made in opposition to the Indian Defence Minister’s remarks. He also urged India to refrain from issuing such provocative statements, warning of very grave consequences on the wider peace and security of the region and beyond.

In response to a question about India’s failure to share data in connection with the Indus Water Treaty, Tahir Andrabi expressed grave concern over this violation. He pointed out that India’s action to not follow the prescribed procedures of data sharing is a breach of the Treaty. He added that the rhetoric emerging from New Delhi, accompanying this violation, significantly points towards the weaponization of water, which is a breach of international law, particularly international humanitarian law.

Addressing another question, the Foreign Office Spokesperson clarified that the ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan does not imply a traditional ceasefire, typically implemented after a conflict between two belligerent states. He explained that the Pakistan-Afghanistan ceasefire meant that there would be no terrorist attacks by Afghan-sponsored terrorist proxies into Pakistan. Despite this understanding, Ambassador Andrabi noted that major terrorist attacks have occurred after the ceasefire agreement, indicating that the ceasefire is not holding as it was intended to prevent terrorist attacks inside Pakistan by groups such as TTP, Fitna-al-Khawarij, and Afghan nationals using Afghan soil.

Ambassador Tahir Andrabi emphasized that if Afghan nationals are attacking, as they have in Islamabad and elsewhere, Pakistan cannot be optimistic about the ceasefire, which should be understood in the context of terrorist attacks from Afghanistan. He assured that Pakistan’s security forces remain fully alert in the wake of any threat from Afghanistan, highlighting that the country’s military preparedness is robust and that security challenges will be addressed with the seriousness they merit.