Pakistan rejects Indian defence minister’s baseless allegations

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday categorically rejected Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s terrorism-related allegations against Pakistan as completely baseless. The Foreign Office spokesman in a statement said that Pakistan had shared incontrovertible evidence with the international community of India’s state sponsorship of terrorism and subversion against Pakistan.

“India uses terrorism as an instrument of state policy. This year alone, India has been involved in terrorist attacks in Johar Town, Lahore and against Chinese and Pakistani workers at Dasu,” he said.

The spokesman said the ruling BJP-RSS combine had a clear anti-Muslim and anti-minority agenda. They target Pakistan with false propaganda campaigns for both ideological reasons and political expediency.

He recalled that India’s so-called “surgical strikes” and ill-conceived misadventure in Balakot in February 2019 were exposed as based on nothing but lies and deceit. He said Pakistan restored the strategic balance in the region by retaliating against India in a measured and firm manner.

The spokesman said understanding of reaffirming of 2003 ceasefire in February 2021 only demonstrated that Pakistan was a responsible state that wanted to maintain peace in the region despite irresponsible Indian behaviour. “Our desire for peace notwithstanding, Pakistan will resolutely defend itself against any aggressive Indian designs,” the spokesman resolved.