India rejects Pakistan minister’s 'new attack plan claim', terms it irresponsible
Hours after Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi claimed that India is planning a new attack on the neighbours like Balakot air strikes, the Minister of External Affairs (MEA) on Sunday rubbished its claim and termed it as ‘irresponsible and preposterous’. MEA said that it was aimed at whipping up war-hysteria in the region.
MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar in the statement said, "India rejects the irresponsible and preposterous statement by the Foreign Minister of Pakistan with a clear objective of whipping up war hysteria in the region. This public gimmick appears to be a call to Pakistan-based terrorists to undertake a terror attack in India."
Earlier in the day, at his residence in Multan, Qureshi claimed that, “We have reliable intelligence that India is planning a new attack on Pakistan. As per our information, this could take place between April 16 and 20.”
Qureshi also added that ambassadors of the permanent members of the UNSC in Islamabad had been informed about "the new plan" of India two days ago.
"I am saying it with responsibility and I have a responsible position, I know each word I say would make headlines in the international press,” Qureshi said.
Rejecting the claim, the Centre has said, "It has been made clear to Pakistan that it cannot absolve itself of responsibility of a cross border terrorist attack in India. No attempt at creating an alibi for its complicity in such attacks will succeed."
"Pakistan needs to take credible and irreversible steps against terrorism operating from all territories under its control rather than making hysterical statements to obfuscate the core issue that bedevils our region: cross- border terrorism. Pakistan has been advised to use established diplomatic and DGMO channels to share any actionable and credible intelligence it has about imminent terror attacks."
The BJP government further added, "India reserves the right to respond firmly and decisively to any cross border terrorist attack."
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First published: 8 April 2019, 9:36 IST