Islamabad says Modi “crossed a red line” by talking of Balochistan during August 15 speech

The war of words between India and Pakistan intensified on Thursday with Delhi demanding that Islamabad address “more pressing” issues related to cross-border terrorism and >Pakistan saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “crossed a red line” by talking of Balochistan during his August 15 speech.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the latest offer of dialogue on Kashmir from Pakistan could progress only if Islamabad stopped the export of terror that hit Kashmir, as well as Mumbai on 26/11, and demanded the “earliest possible vacation of PoK [Pakistan-occupied Kashmir].”

Releasing the contents of the letter that Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar wrote to his Pakistan counterpart Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry on August 16, the MEA demanded the “cessation of cross-border terrorism”, the “closing down of terrorist camps”, and denial of “safe havens for terrorists.”

The terror-specific demands came a day after India rejected Pakistan’s proposal for “Kashmir dispute-specific talks” and demanded that the proposed Foreign Secretary talks focus on “cross-border terrorism.”

Violation of U.N. charter: Pakistan

India divulged the details of the letter from Foreign Secretary Jaishankar on Thursday even as Pakistan hit back saying that the latest statements on Balochistan from India “crossed a red line.” “The statement by the Indian Prime Minister [on Balochistan] includes elements that are indeed a violation of the U.N. charter,” Nafees Zakaria, spokesperson of the Pakistan Foreign Ministry, said during his weekly briefing in Islamabad.

MEA’s response

The MEA responded sharply to the comment with the official spokesperson saying, “I find this an extraordinary remark from a senior functionary of Pakistan that recognises no red lines in its own diplomacy.

Pakistan’s record of cross-border terrorism and infiltration is at the heart of the problems in the region today. And this is not just India’s view. You can ask some other countries in the region too.”

He explained that India has been concerned about the developments in Balochistan for sometime and officials have been expressing concern.

However, what prompted the comments from the Indian Prime Minister at the all-party meeting of August 12, as well as on Independence Day, was that he had received “various messages” from Balochistan that had “sufficiently moved him to share it with the people of India.”