Pakistan foreign minister calls Indian Air Force strikes 'fictitious', misadventure by Modi govt ahead of LS elections

Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Asad Umar and Defence Minister Pervez Khattak held a press briefing where they denied the the presence of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) training camps in the areas attacked by the Indian Air Force.

Qureshi read out a statement from the National Security Committee meeting held earlier Tuesday which said that the Indian government made fictitious claims about targeting the Balakot camp and the resulting casualties. “After the Pulwama attack, we said the Modi government will carry out some misadventure ahead of (Lok sabha) polls. Pakistan-bashing is the easiest way to win over the extreme Right,” Qureshi said.

Qureshi said foreign and local media will be invited to inspect the site that has been attacked by the Indian forces, adding that Pakistan will respond after planning at political, military and diplomatic levels.

Sticking by his argument that India’s claim about the strikes is fictitious, Qureshi said the Pakistani Army and air force will never allow enemy forces to venture that deep into their territory. He maintained that they were prepared and their aircraft were airborne and ready for all eventualities. “Multi-dimensional intrusion attempt was made. Few shots were fired by aircraft. They entered at 2:55 am and left at 2: 58 am due to our alertness,” he said.

Qureshi said an emergency meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation has been summoned in Jeddah. When questioned about the Katarpur Corridor, he said that opening the corridor was a message of peace from Pakistan.

The IAF conducted precision strikes in Balakot, Muzaffarabad and Chakoti across the Line of Control (LoC) in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. The attack came 12 days after 42 CRPF personnel lost their lives in a suicide bomb attack, for which the terror outfit claimed responsibility.