"Exposing" India over Kashmir is Pakistan's moral responsibility: Pak FO

Pakistan on Saturday said it was its moral responsibility to "expose" India's "egregious behaviour" in Kashmir where normal life remains affected due to strict restrictions imposed across the Valley after the Indian government ended the region's special status.

Normal life in Kashmir remains paralysed following the government's August 5 move to abrogate Article 370, that provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcate the State into two union territories.

Ties between India and Pakistan came under severe strain after New Delhi's decision. Pakistan reacted angrily to the move and expelled the Indian envoy. Since then, Pakistan has been trying to rally international support against India on the issue.

India on Friday condemned the "provocative and irresponsible" statements against it by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan over abrogation of provisions of Article 370 and said he is unaware of how international relations are conducted.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the comments made by Khan did not behove the post he holds.

In his maiden speech at the UNGA last month, Khan raised the Kashmir issue and demanded that India must lift the "inhuman curfew" in Kashmir and release all "political prisoners".

He devoted half of his address to the Kashmir issue, warning that if there is a face-off between two nuclear-armed neighbours, the consequences would be far beyond their borders.

"I think he is not unaware of how international relations are conducted. On that basis, he gives such statements. He had given an open call for Jihad against India. This is not a normal behaviour," Kumar said.

Reacting to India's statement, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal on Saturday rejected the comments made by Kumar.

"Exposing India's egregious behaviour in Jammu and Kashmir is part of our international obligations and our moral responsibility to the Kashmiri victims of Indian repression," the spokesman said.

If India was provoked, it was only because New Delhi was unwilling to face the truth about its "indefensible actions" based on the "toxic mix of an extremist ideology and hegemonic ambitions", he said.

The Foreign Office also said that "India would be well-advised to keep its lectures on diplomacy and normality to itself. All we would like to stress is, 'Physician, heal thyself'"!