Pakistan rejects Modi's statement, warns India not to underestimate armed forces

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday rejected the "belligerent rhetoric" by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, warning New Delhi not to underestimate its armed forces. 

The Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson said in a statement that Modi's remarks were a "reflection of India's incurable obsession with Pakistan and the BJP Government and leadership's desperate attempts to divert attention from growing domestic and international criticism" of occupied Kashmir. 

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Modi had said a few days ago that India's army would not take more than seven to 10 days to make Pakistan "bite the dust". FO Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said Modi's remarks demonstrated the BJP's extremist mindset and how it had permeated through its state institutions. 

She said that Pakistan's "immediate and effective response" to India's Balakot bombing last year was enough to demonstrate to New Delhi the preparedness, will and capacity of the armed forces. 

"No one should underestimate the resolve of the people and the armed forces of Pakistan to effectively thwart any aggressive action," she said. 

Farooqui urged the international community to take note of Modi's statements, saying that the belligerent rhetoric and aggressive measures by India were a threat to regional peace and security. 

She further said that Pakistan wished for a peaceful resolution to the occupied Kashmir problem. Farooqui said Pakistan wished for durable peace and stability to prevail in South Asia. 

Tensions reached a new high between India and Pakistan after August 5, 2019 when India scrapped the special status of occupied Kashmir (IoK). It has been almost six months and the curfew imposed on the disputed territory continues.

The valley has been under a strict military-enforced curfew as Indian authorities block communication services and restrict freedom of travel. 

CAA intensifies conflict between India and Pakistan

India passed a new law last year that grants citizenship to religious minorities fleeing from Muslim-majority countries — Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh — but excludes Muslim immigrants.

The new legislation, known as the Citizenship Amendment Bill, is an amendment to India’s Citizenship Act 1955. It proposes to grant nationality to Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains and Parsis, who arrived in India before 2015 but not Muslims.

Thousands of people--who see the law as anti-Muslim--have taken to the streets in India against the CAA triggering violent unrest. A southern state imposed curbs on public gatherings to pre-empt further demonstrations.

Many university students who were protesting against the bill were arrested by the authorities as well.