Ajmer (Rajasthan) [India], July 2 (ANI): Asserting that "India is not a nation to be scared of empty threats," Ajmer Dargah Dewan successor Syed Naseeruddin Chishti on Thursday strongly dismissed Pakistan's remarks over the Indus water dispute, stating that New Delhi will not be intimidated by Islamabad's aggressive posturing.
Chishti underscored India's firm stance on cross-border terrorism, emphasising that "blood and water cannot flow together" and adding that Pakistan cannot expect unhindered water sharing while continuing to spill Indian blood through state-sponsored terror.
Chishti's remarks came in response to a joint letter signed by 117 individuals advocating for the resumption of bilateral ties between India and Pakistan.
"I do not know the underlying intention of those who wrote the letter. As far as the Government of India is concerned, India has always stood for peace and believes in resolving issues through dialogue. But Pakistan cannot be trusted. It must first clear its stance on whether it genuinely wants to eradicate terrorism from its soil," Chishti said.
Highlighting Pakistan's deeply entrenched ties with terror elements, Chishti referenced the visible presence of terrorists at a recent high-profile event in Pakistan. "Pakistan has consistently funded terrorism. Recently, terrorists were spotted attending the funeral of cricketer Shoaib Akhtar's elder brother. This proves that their state policy has not changed," he added.
Reacting strongly to Pakistan's recent warnings to India over the Indus Water Treaty, the Dargah Deewan successor dismissed the posturing and said India would not be intimidated by empty threats.
"Pakistan keeps issuing such empty rhetoric, but they know their ground reality against India. India's message is loud and clear: blood and water cannot flow together. If they continue to spill our blood through terror, how can they expect water to flow seamlessly? India will never back down under such threats," Chishti stated.
Attempting to use global platforms to deflect from its ongoing internal water mismanagement, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Tuesday resorted to a fresh war of words, linking regional stability to the 1960 water-sharing pact with a warning that peace comes at a cost for Pakistan.
Issuing hollow warnings to cover up Islamabad's diplomatic isolation, Bhutto-Zardari said, "any attempt to undermine Pakistan's water rights would receive a national response". (ANI)
