India may stage another false flag operation, Pakistan warns

By
Mariana Baabar
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmed addresses a weekly press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad, on January 13, 2021. — Facebook
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmed addresses a weekly press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad, on January 13, 2021. — Facebook 

  • Pakistan committed to pursuing "meaningful" dialogue with India, FO says.
  • “Akhand Bharat” poses grave threat to regional peace, FO warns.
  • Pakistan calls on India to forthwith halt its tyranny in the IOJK


ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has warned the international community of India staging another false flag operation, The News reported Friday.

"We are also concerned and we are continuing to alert the international community about India’s track record," Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmed said Thursday during a weekly press briefing.

“There is a real possibility that India might stage another false flag operation to complicate the current situation. So we continue to alert our friends in the international community about this prospect," he said.

The spokesperson said Pakistan was committed to pursuing a "meaningful" dialogue with India for a peaceful resolution of all outstanding disputes, including Jammu and Kashmir.

However, the onus was on India to create an enabling environment, conducive for dialogue, he said, but regretted that there was no visible change in India's "hostile attitude and negative behaviour”.

In the meantime, he said: “Pakistan calls on India to forthwith halt its tyranny in the IOJK, renounce its campaign of persecution of Kashmiris, and let them exercise their right to self-determination as promised to them under the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.”

Indian army chief’s 'fallacious comments' 

While asking the international community to hold New Delhi accountable for the egregious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, the spokesperson said: "India must allow unhindered access to international human rights and humanitarian organisations and UN special mandate holders to conduct independent investigations in IIOJK”.

He "categorically rejected" the Indian army chief’s “fallacious comments” made at a press conference, insinuating the presence of so-called “launch pads” and “training” camps across the Line of Control (LoC).

For nearly a year now, since both Pakistan and India agreed to a ceasefire at the LoC, it is still in place, the spokesperson said.

He noted that there was nothing new about the Indian general’s unfounded allegations, as these are part of the malicious anti-Pakistan propaganda being pedalled by the BJP-RSS combine at the helm in India.

The Indian government is driven by its belligerent and expansionist agenda embedded in the delusional notion of “Akhand Bharat”, which poses a grave threat to regional peace”, he responded.

The Indian army chief, he added, made a desperate attempt at diverting global attention from India’s state-terrorism and egregious human rights violations, which continue unabated in the IOJK.

The spokesperson also condemned Muslim women's harassment in India through an online application.

"This obnoxious and repugnant act is the newest low in the violent streak of hate attacks and targeting of minorities with impunity overseen by the BJP-RSS extremist dispensation under which space for minorities is continuously shrinking in India," he said.

'Deafening silence'

He added that the "deafening silence" of the BJP leadership and the absence of discernible action against Hindutva proponents openly calling for the genocide of Muslims should “set alarm bells ringing across the international community”.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan will attend the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics at the invitation of Chinese leadership from February 3 to 5.

He will be expressing solidarity with Beijing at a time when a diplomatic boycott has been decided by the United States, Britain, Australia, North Korea, and Canada.

“During his visit, he will hold important meetings with China’s top leadership. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), strategic cooperation between the two countries, bilateral ties, trade, and other issues will be discussed during the meetings," the spokesperson said.