MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that it is important for Pakistan to now start behaving like a normal neighbour. (Photo: ANI)

India on Thursday strongly condemned "highly irresponsible" statements by Pakistani leadership on withdrawal of special status to Jammu and Kashmir, saying that the provocative statements include "call for jihad and inciting violence in India".

On Monday, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan attacked India on its decision to abrogate the provisions of Article 370 that gave a special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said Pakistan has been using terrorism as state policy against India and it must stop exporting terror.

"We strongly condemn highly irresponsible statements by Pakistani leadership on matters internal to India," he said, in what is seen as a direct reference to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's comments.

"These statements include references to Jihad and to incite violence in India, this is intended to project an alarmist situation which is far from ground reality. Pakistan needs to understand that the world has seen through their provocative rhetoric based on lies and deceit," the MEA spokepserson said.

Imran Khan has been consistently attacking India on its decisions on Jammu and Kashmir in the last three weeks. On Monday, Khan said he will raise the issue at every international forum, including at the UN General Assembly.

On being asked about the letter by Pakistan Minister Shireen Mazari to the United Nations who alleged "human rights violations in Kashmir", Raveesh Kumar said that the letter is "not even worth the paper on which it was written" and it should not be given any preference by reacting to it.

"Do not want to lend any credence to the letter written by Pakistan to UNHRC," the MEA spokesperson said.