“Knowing India’s aggressive designs, Pakistan’s civil and military leadership have decided to give a befitting response to India’s aggression,” Qureshi said while addressing a press conference along with Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak and Finance Minister Asad Umer here at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The press conference followed the high-level meeting of the National Security Committee chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan that discussed evolving situation in the wake of India’s violation of the Line of Control (LoC) early Tuesday morning. Qureshi said Pakistan is a peaceful and responsible country and never favours escalation of conflict in the region. However, retaliation to violation is Pakistan right in line of self-defence, he maintained. “Pakistan will act, and not react,” he categorically said, adding that it is a test for the leadership to respond ‘at right time and right way’, keeping in view the sentiments of the Pakistani nation. Qureshi rejected the Indian claim of striking an alleged training camp of Jaish-e-Muhammad inside Pakistan. “Not at all, there is no presence [of terrorist group] of such nature,” he said in response to a question on the statement of Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale which mentioned a ‘non-military pre-emptive action’ against a camp of JeM, killing a large number of militants.
He said Indian aircraft violated the Pakistani airspace at 02:55 am and left at 02:58 am as soon as the fighter jets of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) scrambled in prompt response. He dismissed the impression that PAF’s response-time was delayed, saying that the force was already on high alert to counter any multi-dimensional intrusion.
He called upon the Pakistani media not to buy the propaganda of the Indian media and not underestimate the readiness of its forces.
FM says incursion is a test for leadership to respond ‘at right time and in right way’
The foreign minister said India is using the Pulwama attack as a lame excuse to support its aggressive designs against Pakistan. He said to expose the Indian claim, the government will take representatives of foreign and local media to the area where the Indian fighter jets dropped a payload.
The foreign minister also read out the recommendations of the NCA which decided to form a three-member committee comprising himself, Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak and Finance Minister Asad Umar to take onboard parliamentary leadership on the country’s evolving situation.
On an invitation extended to Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to attend the OIC Foreign Ministers Moot in UAE as guest of honour, Qureshi urged the organization to review the decision in the wake of current situation where aggression was committed against Pakistan – a founding OIC member state. “The way a non-OIC member country has ridiculed and made aggression against its founding member state, needs to be evaluated,” he said.
Whether the situation could have negative implications on the progress of Kartarpur initiative, the foreign minister said Pakistan, through the project, has conveyed the message of peace and will not be deterred by such moves.
Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak said Indian fighter jets intruded up to 4-5 kilometres, however the readiness of PAF thwarted the nefarious designs of India against Pakistan.
Published in Daily Times, February 27th 2019.
