Pakistan is threatening to retaliate against India for allowing its farmers to feed their cattle in the Indian state of Punjab.
The Indian government has been facing mounting pressure to end the controversial practice of feeding cattle to people living near its border with Pakistan, as the country faces a growing number of cattle mutilations and livestock deaths.
Last month, a senior Pakistani official threatened to cut off all trade with India and retaliate against any Indian retaliation for the recent mutilation of cows in the region.
Pakistan has said it would retaliate by banning imports of Indian cattle, citing concerns that it would trigger a retaliatory trade war between the two neighbours.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called the mutilation of cattle “unacceptable”.
On Wednesday, the Indian side responded by saying the cattle mutilation issue is the responsibility of Pakistan, adding that the country has no interest in being a party to such incidents.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment on Wednesday.
In a statement on Wednesday, it said it had received assurances from Indian officials that Pakistan was not involved in the mutilating of cattle.
“Pakistan has informed India that it does not have any intention to engage in such practices.
We hope that India will understand the seriousness of this matter and will not resort to such methods,” the statement said.
Earlier this month, Indian Prime Minister Modi ordered a probe into the mutilated cattle mutilated near the border in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
The incident was captured on film by an Indian news channel and was widely shared on social media.
Pakistan says the footage of the mutiny was doctored and claimed that the cow mutilation was a case of “cultural imperialism”.
