Indian troops open fire at UN vehicle across LoC: Pakistan has intel of Indian plans for surgical strike, says FM

By News Desk

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday warned that India is planning a surgical strike against Pakistan to divert the world’s attention from its worsening domestic situation, as Indian occupation forces shot at a UN Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) vehicle from across the Line of Control (LoC), in a ceasefire violation that Pakistan termed a “new low”.

In a series of tweets, the Inter-services Public Relations (ISPR) said the Indian Army resorted to unprovoked fire in the Chirikot Sector of the LoC. “Indian troops deliberately targeted a United Nations vehicle with two military observers on board, en route to interact with ceasefire violations victims in the Polas Village in Chirikot Sector,” it said.

“It must be noted that the UN vehicles are clearly recognisable even from long distances due to their distinct make and type and clearly visible markings,” the ISPR added. While the vehicle was damaged, the two UN military observers “luckily remained unharmed”. They were safely rescued and evacuated by Pakistan Army to Rawalakot.

“Such illegal and unlawful acts against all established international norms, signify the mal-intent of Indian Army to target not only innocent civilians residing along the Line of Control but UN peacekeepers as well.

“This act only goes to show Indian Army’s complete disregard to principles enshrined in UN Charter. It is indeed a new low for Indian Army. Pakistan Army stands in solidarity with UNMOGIP officials and appreciates the selfless services rendered by all members of UNMOGIP in discharge of their UN mandated duties,” it added.

Addressing a press conference in Abu Dhabi, the foreign minister said India’s irrational approach was driven by its frustration emanating from internal unrest due to the RSS-BJP regime’s policies aimed at subjugation of religious minorities and disadvantaged segment of the society.

“India is planning a false-flag operation […] we are well aware about Indian designs. We have intelligence report about a false-flag operation by India,” the foreign minister said. He said India was looking to divert focus from its internal issues since the human rights situation in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) had worsened.

“I want to share all this information with the UAE government and rest of the world,” Qureshi said at the conclusion of his two-day visit to the Emirate, where he held a meeting with his counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Shedding light on India’s domestic troubles, the foreign minister said the situation in IIOJK had further deteriorated due to India’s oppression of the Kashmiri people. He also mentioned the country-wide protests of Indian farmers and New Delhi’s mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic, which led to the agitation of citizens against the incumbent BJP government.

Qureshi mentioned that Pakistan had exposed the nefarious designs of India to create instability and presented before the world credible evidence in this regard. He said the Indian Chronicles report by EU DisInfo Lab was proof that India was misusing the platforms of international bodies such as United Nations and the European Union.

He said Pakistan was a peaceful country, however was firm to give a befitting response in case India made attempt of any military misadventure. Qureshi the world to take notice of India, which he said, was playing a “dangerous game of targeting peace in the region”.

Soon after Qureshi’s presser, Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security Moeed Yusuf tweeted that Qureshi had just informed international media in UAE that “we have very specific and reliable intelligence of Indian plans to attempt surgical strikes against Pakistan”.

“We know that India is deeply unnerved because its acts of aggression against Pakistan through state sponsored terrorism and blatant disinformation based propaganda have been exposed. India’s desperation has reached absurd levels if they think they can strike a united and proud nation that is a nuclear power. We have informed the world that we know exactly what India wants to do. We also know that some capitals were already aware.”

He said Pakistan wanted to remind the world that peace is “a collective responsibility”. “The world must prevent India from destabilising the region in its attempt to divert attention from its domestic troubles,” Yusuf said, adding : “Let there be no doubt that Pakistan stands for peace but if provoked, our armed forces are fully prepared to thwart any aggression on our homeland and teach our enemy the lesson they deserve.”

On the heels of Qureshi’s media talk in Abu Dhabi, Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri strongly condemned the continuing ceasefire violations by India in clear violation of international law, the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding and against humanitarian norms and professional military conduct.

Chaudhri, at a weekly press briefing, went into detail about the Indian occupation forces opening fire on the UN vehicle. He said the incident occurred in the morning. The spokesperson said the Indian troops “specifically targeted a United Nations vehicle, carrying two officers of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP)”.

The officers were on their way to Polas village to meet with the victims of the Indian ceasefire violations. He too confirmed that while the UN vehicle was damaged, the officers remained safe. “The reprehensible act of unprovoked firing by India on the UNMOGIP officers is indicative of a new low in the conduct of Indian occupation troops,” he said.

He said this year alone, India had committed 2,992 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 27 martyrdoms and serious injuries to 249 innocent civilians, including 92 women and 68 children.

The spokesperson said Pakistan called upon India to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding, investigate such incidents of deliberate ceasefire violations and maintain peace along the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB).

“Pakistan also urges India to allow the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), to play its mandated role as per the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions,” he said.

The spokesperson said Pakistan had information from credible sources that India was planning to undertake a military misadventure or so-called surgical strike across the LoC and international border, for which it was trying to seek understanding from major powers.

He said a series of events and developments had exposed the real face of India to the world community. He recalled that the recently released dossier by Pakistan had left no doubt about Indian state-sponsorship of terrorism.

He said Pakistan’s Armed Forces were fully prepared to defeat Indian designs. “Any miscalculation will result in global embarrassment for India, as it faced in 2019,” he warned. He said any ill-considered misadventure by India would face an “assured notch-up military response from Pakistan”.

The spokesperson said such a scenario would, however, seriously destabilise the region with catastrophic consequences, the fact also been shared with important world capitals. Chaudhri said any military conflict between Pakistan and India would also seriously undermine the peace prospects in Afghanistan, for which the entire responsibility would rest with India.

He said Pakistan urged the international community to advise India against any irresponsible act and to desist from any action that would jeopardise regional peace and stability. “We also warn the Indian political and military leadership to know that their mindset and sinister designs are well known to us,” he said.