Indian briefing to envoys a failed attempt to implicate Pakistan: FO

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office Spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhry while describing the purported briefing by Indian Ministry of External Affairs as yet another attempt to mischievously implicate Pakistan in some alleged planned attack in IIOJ&K, said on Tuesday that Pakistan would continue exposing India and not let the world community be misled by the Indian propaganda.

He was responding to media queries regarding the reported briefing to a group of foreign envoys at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs on the so-called attempted terrorist attack in Nagrota district in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

The spokesman stated that following the presentation of the dossier by Pakistan containing irrefutable evidence of India’s active planning, promoting, aiding, abetting, financing and execution of terrorist activities in Pakistan, the Indian government had escalated its anti-Pakistan campaign, marked by false narratives, concocted evidence and orchestration of false flag operations.

“The purported briefing by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs is yet another attempt to mischievously implicate Pakistan in some alleged planned attack in IIOJ&K,” he remarked.

The spokesman said the completely baseless and unsubstantiated allegations were nothing but a reflection of desperate efforts on India’s part to salvage its false terrorism narrative against Pakistan and to divert international attention from its state-terrorism in the IIOJ&K and state-sponsorship of terrorism against Pakistan.

He said Pakistan had been consistently sensitising the international community regarding the possibility of India undertaking a false flag operation with the intention to implicate Pakistan and jeopardising regional peace and security. “We forewarn the world community once again,” he added.

“The world community, including the United Nations’ counter-terrorism mechanisms, must act on the dossier presented by Pakistan with incontrovertible evidence of Indian state-sponsorship of terrorism,” the spokesman stressed.

Responding to media queries, the spokesman categorically rejected baseless speculation regarding possibility of recognition of the State of Israel by Pakistan. The spokesman underlined that the prime minister’s statements in this context have been clear and unequivocal. He said the prime minister has made it clear that until a just settlement of the Palestine issue satisfactory to the Palestinian people is found, Pakistan cannot recognise Israel.

“Pakistan steadfastly supports the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination. For just and lasting peace, it is imperative to have a two-state solution in accordance with the relevant United Nations and OIC resolutions, with the pre-1967 borders, and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of a viable, independent and contiguous Palestinian State,” said the spokesman.

Pakistan also welcomed a decree by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani for the release of Pakistani prisoners in Afghanistan. These prisoners had completed their terms but remained incarcerated due to non-payment of fines, while there were others who had about one or less than one month remaining in their prison terms.

“Pakistan appreciates this humanitarian gesture which will provide relief to the individuals and their families covered by this decision,” the Foreign Office said. Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to continue mutual engagement leading to facilitation and benefits for the people on both sides.

The Foreign Office also strongly condemned the missile attack by Houthi militants at a petroleum distribution terminal in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and called for immediate cessation of such incidents violating the kingdom’s territorial integrity.

"We reaffirm our full support and solidarity with the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia against any threats to its security and territorial integrity," the Foreign Office said in a statement. The Foreign Office mentioned that the attack caused fire in a fuel tank, which was successfully extinguished without any causalities, terming it an act against the sovereignty of Saudi Arabia and also threatening the lives of innocent civilians.