Pak propagating blatant lies, India’s unity challenge for it: Foreign Secretary

New Delhi, May 9: Asserting that India has responded to all the actions of Pakistan, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Friday slammed the neighbouring country for indulging in false propaganda that India attacked its own cities and religious places.
Addressing a special joint briefing here, Misri said, “Pakistan is propagating blatant lies. Their claim that the Indian attacked its own cities is nothing short of a deranged fantasy. This is a country (Pakistan) well-versed in such acts, and they now imagine others would stoop to the same level. Let me state for the record — it was Pakistan that attacked cities in Punjab, it was their drones that violated our airspace, and it was their artillery that killed our civilians.”
Misri slammed Pakistan for blatantly denying these attacks, saying, “Telling blatant lies are yet another example of their duplicity and new depths they are planting in their campaign for disinformation.”
“What I wish to underline is the brazenness of Pakistan’s denial. Their government claims they did not target religious places. However, the facts on the ground are unambiguous . They attacked Gurdwara and Church in Poonch. Two students were killed in the artillery attack,” he said, adding, “The disinformation that is coming from Pakistan that India targeted the Nankana Sahib Gurudwara through drone attack, this is a blatant lie, as we saw in the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan is trying desperately to give a communal hue to the situation with an intention to create discord…India’s steadfast unity in itself is a challenge to Pakistan.”
Misri said, “Over the past 24 hours Pakistan made desperate attempts to target civilian areas, including religious sites and densely populated cities in Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir but all their nefarious designs were foiled.”
Asked if India would respond to attacks carried out by Pakistan, the Foreign Secretary said, “We have already given them a befitting reply.”
He said that in view of the current security situation and direct attacks on religious institutions, the Kartarpur Corridor has been closed until further notice.
Referring to India engaging with the different countries on the diplomatic front, Misri said, “India has responded with strength and restraint. The Ministry of External Affairs has engaged directly with the US Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defence. We have also spoken with the Foreign Minister of Norway. Our partners have expressed solidarity and pledged cooperation in counterterrorism efforts. India will firmly counter any attempt to escalate the situation.”
Asked about the missile attack on Bhawalpur from where the journalist Daniel Pearl was abducted and then killed, Misri said, “Bhawalpur continues to be the headquarters of the proscribed Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) group. Its leader, Masood Azhar, is an internationally designated terrorist. We also recall the gruesome murder of journalist Daniel Pearl — JeM was directly or indirectly complicit. The British-Pakistani jihadi Omar Sheikh, who was arrested in India and then released in 2000, lured Pearl and facilitated his killing. This is the kind of extremist mindset we are confronting.”
He reiterated that the Indus Water Treaty is currently in abeyance. “Given the evolving scenario, I have nothing further to add at this point,” he added.
“At the IMF meeting scheduled for later today, India will present its position and raise concerns over Pakistan’s misuse of international funds and its destabilizing behavior,” Misri said. (KNO)