EU disinfo lab report: Pakistan circulating fabricated dossiers, purveys regular stream of fake news, says MEA

New Delhi: India on Friday slammed Pakistan over its accusations that New Delhi was spreading disinformation, saying when looking at disinformation, the best example is the “country next door which is circulating fictional and fabricated dossiers and purveys a regular stream of fake news”. Responding to questions on Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan quoting an EU disinformation lab report to accuse India of subversive activities through fake media organisations and similar allegations by Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said that as a responsible democracy, India does not practice disinformation campaigns. “In fact, if you are looking at disinformation, the best example is the country next door which is circulating fictional and fabricated dossiers and purveys a regular stream of fake news,” he said at an online media briefing. Disinformation is practised particularly by those who have records to hide such as sheltering international wanted terrorists including Osama bin Laden, and seek unsuccessfully to cover up their own tracks such as on the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Srivastava said, hitting out at Pakistan. Asked about Pakistani media reports quoting unnamed sources to claim that India was planning false flag operations, the MEA spokesperson said the best example of a country practising disinformation is the country next door. “Our position in this matter and the facts on the ground are well known, I don’t want to dignify such propaganda by responding to it,” he said. To a question on External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announcing at the Geneva Donors Conference recently that India will be constructing the Shahtoot Dam, Srivstava said the minister had made the announcement that India and Afghanistan have reached an agreement on the dam. The agreement is expected to be signed shortly, he added. Asked when would the Nepalese foreign minister visit India, Srivastava said he is expected to be in India shortly for the next joint commission meeting, but the dates for it are yet to be worked out.