New Delhi, Aug. 30: India has taken umbrage at a series of “highly irresponsible” statements and social media posts by Pakistan’s leadership on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

“These statements include references to jihad and to incite violence in India. These are intended to project an alarmist situation, which is far from reality. Pakistan must realise the world has seen through its provocative and unsubstantiated rhetoric which is based on lies and deceit,” Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar told mediapersons here Thursday, pointing out that since August 5, India had handled the situation with maturity and restraint. “Not a single life has been lost, not a single bullet fired,” he emphasised.

According to the Indian Media, Kumar said Pakistan’s test of ‘Ghaznavi’ missile did not come as a surprise. “We were aware about the test. As per established CBMs, we were informed about it by Pakistan,” he said. He played down reports of Pakistan’s move to close its airspace to Indian flights by pointing out that its civil aviation authority had issued a NOTAM (notice to airmen) for temporary diversion of certain routes.

The MEA refused to react to a detailed missive to the UN by Pakistan Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari that had controversially included a reference to Kashmir by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. 

“I don’t want to lend any credence by reacting to the letter. It is not even worth the paper it is written on,” he observed.

The MEA spokesperson relied  on the J&K Governor’s press conference on Wednesday to claim a gradual and positive return to normalcy in the Kashmir valley. “Let us not compare the situation in other states. Even before August 5, the situation was not normal as compared to other states,” he said.  Denying there was shortage of essential drugs in the Valley, Kumar said, “there is a commitment that no life should be lost”.