Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has said India is ready to cross the Line of Control (LoC) to maintain its honor and dignity. The Line of Control (LoC) is currently the demarcation line between Indian- and Pakistani-administered Kashmir.
"We can go to any extreme to maintain the honor and dignity of the country... if that includes crossing the LoC, we are ready to do that... if we are provoked and if the need arises, we will cross the LoC," Rajnath said.
"India is a peace-loving nation which believes in its centuries-old values and is committed towards international laws, but to safeguard our interests, we will not hesitate in crossing the LoC," he said.
Rajnath Singh was speaking on Wednesday at the Kargil War Memorial on the occasion of the 24th Kargil Vijay Diwas (Kargal Victory Day).
The Kargil War, also known as the Kargil conflict, was fought between India and Pakistan from May to July 1999 in the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere along the LoC.
Rajnath Singh said the Kargil war was imposed on India.
"We were backstabbed by Pakistan... the war was imposed on India. I salute our brave sons who put the country first and sacrificed their lives," he said.
Responding Rajnath's statement Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson said, "Pakistan strongly condemns the provocative statement made by Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on July 26, 2023, in Ladakh, boasting India's readiness to cross the Line of Control. These unwarranted and totally unacceptable remarks reflect India's hostility against its neighbors, Pakistan in particular."
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said, "Pakistan is fully capable of defending itself against any aggression as demonstrated in its forceful response to India's misadventure in February 2019."
She said this was not the first time that India's political leaders and senior military officers had made such highly irresponsible and delusional remarks about Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
"They routinely engage in jingoistic rhetoric for political ends by stoking hyper-nationalism and anti-Pakistan sentiment. This practice of dragging Pakistan into Indian political discourse must end."
Mumtaz said, "These highly irresponsible statements also constitute a threat to regional peace and security and aim to destabilize the strategic environment in South Asia. While fully prepared to respond to India's provocations and irresponsible behavior, Pakistan will continue to act responsibly and contribute to all efforts for promoting peace, security, and stability in the region."
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