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Pakistan Condemns Indian PM Modi’s Remarks as “Reckless Provocation” Amid Rising Tensions

By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan's Foreign Office on Tuesday strongly condemned recent remarks made by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a public address in Gujarat, labeling them a “reckless provocation” and warning of the dangerous precedent such rhetoric sets in an already volatile region.

The condemnation comes in the wake of heightened military tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, following unsubstantiated allegations by New Delhi that Pakistan was behind a deadly attack in Pahalgam, in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

According to Pakistani officials, the situation escalated dramatically on the night of May 6–7, when India launched a series of airstrikes across the border, resulting in civilian casualties. In response, Islamabad downed five Indian fighter jets. The confrontation quickly intensified, with both sides reportedly targeting each other’s airbases and intercepting drones. A ceasefire was eventually brokered on May 10 through U.S. diplomatic intervention.

In a video shared by Indian news outlet ANI, Prime Minister Modi is seen addressing a large crowd, saying: “The people of Pakistan must come forward to rid their country of terrorism. Their youth will have to come forward.” He added, to loud applause: “Live a life of peace, eat your bread—or [face] my bullet.”

Reacting to the speech, Pakistan’s Foreign Office issued a sharply worded statement, saying it had taken note of Modi’s “theatrical” rhetoric, which resembled a campaign rally more than a statesmanlike address.

“The hate-driven invocation of violence in his remarks is deeply disturbing—not only for its content but for the dangerous precedent it sets in a region already burdened by volatility,” the statement said.

The FO further expressed concern over what it described as a "continued erosion of maturity and decorum in Indian statecraft," emphasizing the need for responsible leadership, especially in the context of rising regional tensions.