FO rejects Indian insinuation of Pak involvement in Pulwama attack

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan categorically rejected on Saturday the Indian prime minister's insinuation of Pakistan’s involvement in the Pulwama attack by alluding to remarks made by a minister in the National Assembly.

“This is a brazen attempt to twist the remarks of the federal minister, who was referring to the befitting response given by the Pakistan Armed Forces in broad daylight to India's ill-conceived misadventure of February 26, 2019, in violation of the UN Charter and international law,” said the Foreign Office in a statement.

The Indian media had picked up a statement made by Federal Minister Fawad Chaudhry accusing him of admitting that Pakistan had entered Pulwama where a militant strike took out dozens of Indian security forces. Fawad retaliated by saying his statement was being taken out of context.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday while speaking at an event said some forces (in India) had indulged in “dirty politics” over Pulwama for political gains, adding that all should refrain from politics which can affect the morale of the armed forces.

“The real face of such people has been exposed after the truth was accepted in the parliament of our neighbouring country,” Modi said, while alluding to a statement by Minister Fawad Chaudhry in which according to the minister he was misinterpreted.

“It is the BJP leadership’s incurable obsession with Pakistan that impels them to invariably blame Pakistan for their own failings and shortcomings,” said the Foreign Office.

Most notably, it added it has been a part and parcel of the BJP’s electoral strategy to raise the Pakistan ‘bogey’ in the attempt to galvanise voters’ support, while seeking to divert public attention from their domestic and foreign policy failures.

“Pakistan firmly believes that the biggest beneficiary of the February 2019 Pulwama attack was the BJP government, as it resulted in BJP’s landslide victory in Lok Sabha elections following their virulent anti-Pakistan electoral campaign.

On the other hand, to this day, India has failed to provide any credible evidence of Pakistan’s alleged involvement in the Pulwama attack,” the Foreign Office pointed out.

Pakistan advised the BJP regime once again to stop dragging Pakistan into India’s domestic politics, especially at the time of elections in India.

“Instead of mobilising the electorate through stoking of anti-Pakistan sentiments, the BJP leadership would be well-advised to win voter support by demonstrating actual performance in meeting the expectations of the Indian people,” the statement added.