Indian MEA allegations false, self-serving: FO

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Monday said India’s malicious assertions were based on complete distortion of facts aimed at advancing its false and self-serving narrative.

“The Indian Ministry of External Affairs’ statement of June 5, 2020 is continuation of a desperate campaign to divert international attention from India’s state-terrorism in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K) and its continuing crimes against the Kashmiri people,” says a Foreign Office statement.

“Even the remarks of the prime minister of Pakistan have been completely twisted. This mischievous attempt is highly condemnable. Pakistan has been the principal victim of terrorism, including terrorism perpetrated against our people from across the border,” said the Foreign Office.

The Foreign Office said tens of thousands of Pakistani citizens had lost their lives, while thousands of valiant law enforcement personnel had made the ultimate sacrifice in the country’s resolute fight against terrorism.

The Foreign Office said Pakistan’s sacrifices and contribution towards combating the scourge of terrorism had been recognized by the international community.

“Senior Indian officials and other Indian commentators have frequently boasted about destabilizing parts of Pakistan and of their nefarious designs to use terrorism as the state policy against Pakistan,” it said.

“Today, the Hindutva-driven saffron terror against India’s minorities, Indian state-terrorism in IOJ&K, and India’s use of terrorism as an instrument to destabilize its neighbours stands fully exposed.

It is India that is seeking to distort and misrepresent the report of the UN Security Council’s Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team to promote its anti-Pakistan propaganda,” it added. The Foreign Office said expressed hope that the world would not be misled. “Pakistan’s role as a facilitator to the ongoing peace process in Afghanistan has been widely acknowledged by the relevant international partners.

“Pakistan had, since the beginning of the Afghan Peace process, alerted the international community about the role of spoilers in the region, who do not wish to see peace, stability, and prosperity return to Afghanistan and waste no opportunity to create obstacles in the successful advancement of the peace process.

“We wish to reiterate that all relevant partner countries must guard against such attempts, while supporting the process for an inclusive and comprehensive political settlement in Afghanistan,” it said.