What happened
According to Dawn, Pakistan’s Foreign Office has condemned statements made by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, describing them as provocative threats of military aggression. Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan addressed the matter during a weekly press briefing on Friday. His comments came after the Indian minister warned on Thursday that any new cross-border terrorist activity would result in a military strike larger than previous ones.
In response, Khan stated that Pakistan remains prepared to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. He called on India to refrain from belligerent rhetoric and learn from the brief military conflict between the two nations in May of last year, warning that any new aggression would draw a forceful response.
Key facts
Dawn reported several key updates from the Foreign Office briefing:
- Regional disputes: Khan addressed China's opposition to India's move to standardize 28 geographical names in Ladakh. He also reiterated that India's August 5, 2019 revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status was illegal, adding that the territory's final status must be determined through UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
- Digital service transition: The foreign ministry is automating its attestation and apostille services to increase transparency and speed. E-attestation has been launched on the ministry portal, and e-apostille services are currently being implemented.
- Impact on applicants: The new system may allow eligible applicants, particularly overseas Pakistanis, to be exempted from physical appearances subject to specific safeguards.
- Ongoing investigation: Following an operation last month by the Federal Investigation Agency’s Anti-Corruption Circle regarding fake apostille stickers, an inquiry into service irregularities is underway. Results will be released upon completion; specific completion dates were not specified in the source; please check the official notice.
Why it matters
As reported by Dawn, the Foreign Office emphasized that Indian rhetoric poses risks to regional peace and stability in South Asia, while maintaining that Pakistan's restraint should not be viewed as weakness. Additionally, the ministry's shift toward online attestation services, guided by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, aims to modernize administrative processes and prevent fraudulent activities.
Source: Dawn - Home · Published October 16, 2026 · Photo by yash rai on Unsplash