Pakistan on Sunday said the Indian government and the media were spread disinformation to mislead the international community and the Indian people for domestic political gains, while trying to cover up New Delhi’s failures and the resultant embarrassment.
“Pakistan, on the other hand, responded with maturity, responsibility and resolve in all domains including political, information and response to Indian act of military aggression,” a statement issued by the Foreign Office read.
“Pakistan has categorically rejected false Indian allegations about the Pulwama attack, which had indigenous origin, including the use of local explosives and vehicle, miles away from the LoC,” the statement read. “This explains it all,” it continued. “Notwithstanding all this, the prime minister of Pakistan offered cooperation in investigations and asked for actionable evidence from India, in response to which a ‘dossier’ was received on 28 February, 2019, a day after the second Indian violation of Pakistan’s airspace,” the FO stated. “The dossier is being examined and an update on it will be shared in due course,” it added.
“Air intrusion and attempted strike near Balakot (KP) through Azad Jammu & Kashmir by IAF was in complete violation of relevant provisions of the UN Charter and international law, as it constituted unlawful use of force against the territory of Pakistan. Pakistan, exercising its right of reprisal, acted on 27 February, 2019, from within Pakistani airspace displaying our capability, capacity and responsible attitude, by taking 6 strikes (4 targets) on non-civilian and non-military targets with clear intent not to cause any damage to life or infrastructure,” the Foreign Office statement read.
“On the other hand, on 27 February, 2019, IAF, with belligerent intentions, once again violated Pakistan’s airspace. Pakistan in exercise of its right of self-defence under the UN Charter exercised the legitimate use of force while staying within its airspace, against two Indian aircraft that had intruded into Pakistani air space. As a consequence, both Indian aircraft were successfully shot down by Pakistan Air Force,” the statement continued. “False claims of an Indian aircraft having shot down a Pakistani F-16 are completely baseless, meant only to satisfy Indian domestic audience, but in the process they also exposed their lies one after another,” it maintained. “In contrast to Pakistan’s sincere efforts to pacify the situation, India’s belligerent tone still continues to be motivated by domestic political considerations and electoral calculations,” the FO lamented. “The prime minister of Pakistan returned the Indian pilot as a gesture of peace, which was welcomed and appreciated by the international community, with the sole exception of the Indian government,” it continued.
“The government of Pakistan urges the international community to stop Indian government from committing heinous human rights violations (documented in the OHCHR Report of June 2018) and brutalities such as rape, blinding of women, children and youth through use of pellet guns, forced exodus for demographic re-configuration, to suppress indigenous movement in IoK, on the pretext of counter-terrorism measures,” the FO stressed.
“Pakistan stands in full support – moral, political and diplomatic – as well as in solidarity with the people of Jammu & Kashmir in their legitimate struggle for their right to self-determination and desires peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the aspirations of people of Jammu and Kashmir, as enshrined in the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions,” the Foreign Office reiterated. “Regarding Indian allegations of terrorism, the whole world recognizes Pakistan’s successful fight against terrorism. Having tackled the direct threat of terrorism, the efforts to root out extremism are underway since 2014 through National Action Plan. The linking of ongoing efforts in this regard to Pulwama is part of the Indian agenda for domestic political gains,” it concluded.
Published in Daily Times, March 11th 2019.
