Islamabad has strongly denied the Indian claims that Pakistan launched attacks in Pathankot, Jaisalmer, and Srinagar, calling the allegations “baseless and irresponsible” and “politically motivated”.
In a statement released by the Foreign Office on Friday, Islamabad said India’s accusations were part of a “reckless propaganda campaign” designed to damage Pakistan’s image and stir up tensions in the region.
“The repeated pattern of levelling accusations against Pakistan without any credible investigation reflects a deliberate strategy to manufacture a pretext for aggression and to further destabilise the region,” reads the FO statement.
On May 8, India launched strikes on Pakistan and AJK in the dark hours — an assault that Islamabad called a “blatant act of war”.
Islamabad said six Pakistani locations, from mosques to hydropower projects, were targeted. At least 31 civilians, including children, were martyred and 57 sustained injuries after India launched an unprovoked and devious attack at six locations — Ahmedpur East, Muridke, Sialkot and Shakkargarh in Punjab and Muzaffarabad and Kotli in Azad Kashmir.
In retaliation, the Pakistan armed forces shot down five Indian Air Force (IAF) jets, seven drones, destroyed a brigade headquarters and a number of checkposts along the Line of Control (LoC).
In its statement, the Foreign Office warned that such tactics not only risk peace in South Asia but also show a “disturbing willingness to exploit misinformation” for political or military purposes.
Calling on the international community to take note, the statement urged global powers to “counsel India toward restraint and responsibility”.
“Any escalation based on false pretenses will be met with full resolve and determination to safeguard Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the government said.
Pakistan stressed that it remained committed to peace but it “will not be deterred by attempts to provoke, intimidate, or mislead”.
It again stressed that “it reserves the right to respond to acts of aggression”.
These claims were also rejected by the civil and military leadership of Pakistan earlier in the day.
Addressing a presser on Thursday, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry categorically dismissed India’s allegations that Pakistan launched attacks on 15 locations across Indian territory, labelling the claims as “utterly false.” He said India is trying to present fabricated evidence to justify its recent military actions against Pakistan.
“India’s claims are baseless. The images they’ve shown of alleged Pakistani projectiles are laughable. A projectile of that nature would at least set dry grass on fire, but their so-called evidence shows no such damage,” the DG ISPR said.
He said that India has claimed that Pakistan fired 15 projectiles, all of which were neutralised by Indian air defences. However, the DG ISPR mocked these assertions, pointing out India’s failure to protect its aircraft.
“If India claims it neutralised 15 projectiles, why couldn’t it save its own five jets from being shot down by the Pakistan Air Force?” he asked, referring to downing five Indian aircraft, including three Rafale fighters, one MiG-29, and one SU-30, by the Pakistan Air Force.