Islamabad – Pakistan Senator and former Federal Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman has strongly criticised India’s apparent indifference over recent regional developments, and raised serious doubts as to their intentions and transparency when handling sensitive matters.
Rehman voiced her displeasure at India’s indifference toward allegations and queries pertaining to incidents in Kashmir, cross-border skirmishes, and reports of covert operations that have come up recently in international and regional media outlets.
“Silence in South Asia is no passive act,” Rehman noted, and signifies a refusal to engage, explain, or de-escalate issues such as human rights violations in Kashmir and recent military activities by India. Their inaction on these critical matters raises more questions than it answers.”
Her remarks follow media reports detailing an increase in Indian military presence and activity near the Line of Control (LoC), with unconfirmed intelligence activity near this border area. Pakistan has officially approached India for clarification but they have yet to provide an official response.
Rehman, a senior leader of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), stressed that regional peace cannot be attained through unilateral action or media posturing alone, calling on India to uphold democratic norms by engaging in transparent dialogue.
“The international community is watching. Silence from the world’s largest democracy on humanitarian issues or regional peace doesn’t do anything to enhance its image or credibility,” added Shepard.
Rehman also called on global institutions and human rights organizations to pay attention to India’s communication blackout in Kashmir and what she termed its ongoing suppression of Kashmiri voices, in addition to reinforcing Pakistan’s position that the Kashmir dispute should be settled peacefully according to UN Security Council Resolutions.
Political analysts largely view Rehman’s statements as reflecting growing anger within Islamabad over what they perceive as India’s strategic ambiguity, particularly amid intermittent border tensions. With both countries possessing nuclear arms and often disagreeing about Kashmir issues, their absence from dialogue appears increasingly dangerous to Islamabad’s leaders.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office shared Rehman’s concerns, encouraging India to break its silence and engage in meaningful engagement so as to reduce hostilities and address humanitarian concerns more quickly.
As tensions in South Asia remain elevated, Rehman’s remarks will likely spark additional discussion – both domestically and abroad – over India’s diplomatic posture and the need for dialogue between its two key players in South Asia.