India on Monday criticised Pakistan for what it called “desperate attempts” to cover up its own failures and human rights violations by making provocative statements.
The remarks came after Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told Pakistani media that his country would go to war with India if it felt its drinking water was under threat. The comments followed India’s decision to cancel the Indus Waters Treaty in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir, a move Pakistan had sought to be reviewed.
Responding in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Asif’s statements were aimed at deflecting attention from Pakistan’s domestic record. India condemned the comments and rejected them, he said.
Jaiswal also pointed to developments in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, alleging they were the direct result of decades of planned economic exploitation, denial of basic rights and administrative repression. He cited measures such as blocking essential supplies and medicines, internet shutdowns, and the use of harsh policing laws, including the use of force against civilians.
India said these actions had led to the deaths of innocent people and expressed hope that the international community would hold Pakistan accountable for what it described as misconduct and human rights violations.
