The Foreign Office on Friday (October 16, 2026) condemned Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s remarks that any future terrorist act originating from Pakistan will draw an even “stronger response”.
“Pakistan rejects and condemns the Indian Defence Minister’s provocative remarks…,” Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan said.
Speaking at a defence conclave in Delhi, Mr. Singh on Thursday (October 15, 2026) said any future terrorist act originating from Pakistan will draw an even “stronger response”, asserting a decisive shift in India’s response with Operation Sindoor, Balakot airstrikes and surgical strikes.
Terming Mr. Singh’s statements as “reckless”, Mr. Khan said that Pakistan remained fully prepared to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity against any “ill-advised aggression”.
He said Pakistan’s restraint and commitment to peace should not be mistaken for weakness, warning that any aggression would be met with a forceful response.
The spokesperson also said that India’s actions on August 5, 2019, to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir were “illegal and void.”
Talking about Afghanistan, Mr. Khan said Deputy PM Ishaq Dar recently reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to combat terrorism in all its forms and called on Afghan authorities to take “concrete, verifiable and irreversible action against groups operating from Afghan soil” against Pakistan.
He also condemned the latest Houthi attack targeting airports and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, saying Pakistan was “deeply concerned” over continuing strikes.
“Pakistan underscores that attacks against civilian populations and critical infrastructure are unacceptable and constitute a grave threat to regional peace and security,” he said.
Published – October 16, 2026 08:14 pm IST
