Aizaz slams Indian media for continuously spreading false news

ISLAMABAD: Former foreign secretary Aizaz Chaudhry has said that any future talks with India must come with strict pre-conditions to prevent the recurrence of New Delhi’s “war drama” every two years.

Speaking on Geo News’ morning show “Geo Pakistan”, Chaudhry stressed the need for written guarantees to ensure such provocations are not repeated.

“We must be firm that this biennial drama by India comes to an end,” he said, adding that India has repeatedly stirred tensions for political gains, particularly under the Modi administration, which he accused of fuelling hatred among the Indian public.

Chaudhry noted that Pakistan had been provoked considerably this time, alleging that India not only sent drones across the border but also launched a disinformation campaign to claim that Pakistan had fired missiles first.

“They accused us falsely of launching missiles and used that as a justification for sending drones,” said the former diplomat. “We did not resort to lies—we crafted our narrative with responsibility.”

He called for the establishment of a joint commission between the two countries to probe such incidents and prevent future escalations. “If any such event occurs, there must be a mechanism—an SOP—that leads to a commission being formed immediately,” Chaudhry proposed.

He also criticised Indian media for continuously spreading falsehoods, saying the disinformation had reached unprecedented levels.

Commenting on India’s threat to block Pakistan’s water, Chaudhry termed it “unacceptable” and a clear violation of regional norms. “There has to be a guarantee, written and binding, that India will not take such actions again.”

Chaudhry further said that if no assurance is secured on two key points — India’s war-mongering rhetoric and its aggressive tactics — then peace talks would hold little value. “If there’s no guarantee on these, I don’t see much benefit in pursuing peace talks,” he remarked.