Pakistan has denounced the provocative remarks made by the Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during a recent televised interview, in response to a media revelation regarding India's clandestine operations within Pakistan, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. 

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Pakistan Foreign Office said “On 25 January 2024, Pakistan provided irrefutable evidence, elucidating India's campaign of extrajudicial and transnational assassinations on Pakistani soil. India's assertion of its preparedness to extrajudicially execute more civilians, arbitrarily pronounced as "terrorists", inside Pakistan constitutes a clear admission of culpability. It is imperative for the international community to hold India accountable for its heinous and illegal actions. 

“Pakistan stands resolute in its intent and ability to safeguard its sovereignty against any act of aggression, as demonstrated by its robust response to India's reckless incursion in February 2019, which laid bare India's hollow claims of military superiority. 

“India's ruling dispensation habitually resorts to hateful rhetoric to fuel hyper-nationalistic sentiments, unapologetically exploiting such discourse for electoral gains. 

“Such myopic and irresponsible behaviour not only undermines regional peace but also impedes the prospects of constructive engagement in the long term. 

“Pakistan has always demonstrated its commitment to peace in the region. However, our desire for peace should not be misconstrued. History attests to Pakistan's firm resolve and ability to protect and defend itself.”

Rajnath Singh in an interview with News18 on Friday said “If any terrorist from a neighbouring country tries to disturb India or carry out terrorist activities here, he will be given a fitting reply. If he escapes to Pakistan we will go to Pakistan and kill him there.”

Singh’s remarks followed The Guardian’s investigative report, published on Thursday, which said at least 20 individuals had been murdered in Pakistan since 2020 at the behest of Indian intelligence operatives.

The report said it had seen evidence provided by Pakistani security agencies, and noted that Indian officers confirmed the new policy of assassinating enemies and dissidents on foreign soil. India’s Ministry of External Affairs had denied the allegations.

Singh said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made it clear this policy was “right” and that “India has the capability to do so. Pakistan has also started understanding this.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQUmH-QPDsQ

Singh’s comments are the first time that India has acknowledged any assassinations by its operatives on foreign soil, The Guardian re[prted in a follow-up story published on Friday.

In October 2023, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had cited what he said was credon;e evidence of a potential link between Indian agents and the murder of a Sikh separatist leader. The following month, the US Department of Justice had said an Indian government official directed an unsuccessful plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist on US soil.

On January 25, Foreign Secretary Syrus Sajjad Qazi had said in a press conference that there was “credible evidence” of links between Indian agents and the assassination of two Pakistani nationals in Sialkot and Rawalakot.

In the Foreign Office statement issued today, Pakistan has officially condemned what it describes as “provocative remarks” made by the Indian defence minister.