- Deputy PM rejects Delhi’s claims of Pakistani military struck 15 locations in India
- Accuses India of targeting its own citizens, particularly Sikhs, to craft a diversionary narrative following repeated military failures
- Pakistani nation is united in faith and resolute in defence of motherland: Lt-Gen Chaudhry
- Defence Minister warns a series of drone incursions by India make a Pakistani response to India ‘increasingly certain’
- Pakistan to avenge blood of innocent civilians martyred in Indian attack, NA told
ISLAMABAD: In the midst of heightened tensions between two nuclear-armed neighbours, Pakistan on Thursday strongly rejected India’s claims that Pakistani military had fired missiles at 15 locations within its territory, describing the allegations as “false, baseless, and politically motivated.”
The accusations are part of a broader campaign by New Delhi to divert attention from internal challenges and military shortcomings, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said at a joint news conference on Thursday evening.
As the situation spiraling out of control, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received a telephone call from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, according to a press release from the prime minister’s office.
PM Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity and stressed that Pakistan reserved the right to act in self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter, the statement read. He also appreciated President Trump’s concern over the current security situation in South Asia.
Deputy PM accused India of targeting its own citizens, particularly Sikhs, to craft a diversionary narrative following repeated military failures. He was referring to the downing of five Indian fighter jets, including three France-made Rafale, by Pakistan’s military in retaliation for India’s missile strikes on civilian targets in multiple Pakistani cities.
FM Dar further said that an Israeli-manufactured drone was shot down over Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium which was sent by India in an apparent attempt to intimidate international players and disrupt normalcy in Pakistan.
“India’s claim that Pakistan attacked Amritsar is entirely fabricated,” Dar said, challenging India to present credible evidence to support its allegations. “When Pakistan chooses to respond, the world will see it — and hear it,” he added while reiterating Pakistan’s willingness to conduct an independent investigation into the Pahalgam deadly rampage.
Speaking to the media, DG ISPR Lt-Gen Chaudhry stated that India had, in fact, launched four missiles that struck its own installations in Amritsar. “Their narrative of striking 15 Pakistani targets is pure fiction,” he said. He called on Indian officials to refrain from spreading misinformation in an era where facts can be easily verified.
The military spokesperson revealed that Pakistan had intercepted and neutralised 29 hostile drones sent by India. Only one incident resulted in injuries to four soldiers and minor damage to military assets, he said, adding that three Pakistani civilians were killed in Indian drone attacks.
Lt-Gen Chaudhry assured the public that Pakistan remains vigilant against all threats and will continue to respond with both precision and restraint. “Our nation is united in faith and resolute in the defence of its sovereignty,” he said.
Meanwhile, security sources have rejected as “baseless and fabricated” the Indian reports of an attack on Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) by Pakistani forces.
They added that such fake news reports are being spread to create an impression that Pakistan is also carrying out attacks on India. “By disseminating these fabricated stories, India is seeking to justify its continued blatant aggression against Pakistan,” the sources added.
Drone strikes make Pakistani response ‘increasingly certain’: Khawaja Asif
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned that in the wake of a series of drone incursions by India make a Pakistani response to India “increasingly certain.”
Speaking to Reuters, the minister highlighted the growing tensions between the two nations, while also noting that the United States is taking the lead in global efforts to de-escalate the situation.
His statement comes amid rising regional tensions as Pakistan downed at least 29 Israeli-made Harop drones launched by India.
The remotely-piloted aircraft, which entered Pakistani airspace and were detected over multiple cities, were neutralised using a combination of electronic countermeasures (soft-kill) and conventional weapons (hard-kill), as confirmed by the military’s media wing, the ISPR.
This escalation follows a tragic attack early Wednesday morning in which Indian forces launched missile strikes that martyred at least 31 civilians in Pakistan.
Pakistan has condemned these attacks as “terrorism,” accusing India of violating the ceasefire agreement on the Line of Control (LoC) and exacerbating the already volatile situation.
Pakistan to avenge blood of innocent civilians martyred in Indian attack, NA told
Earlier, the lawmakers in the National Assembly paid rich tributes to the armed forces for delivering a befitting and strong response to the Indian aggression.
Speaking on a motion, they affirmed that the entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces and vowed that Pakistan will avenge the blood of innocent civilians martyred in the Indian attack.
They said that Pakistan, being a responsible country, desires peace, but will not make any compromise on its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Participating in the discussion, PPP leader Raja Pervez Ashraf stated that the Modi government’s politics is rooted in hatred and that it acts as an enemy of humanity. He commended PAF for shooting down five Indian fighter jets.
Shahida Akhtar said India is involved in acts of terrorism inside Pakistan. She said we should enhance our diplomatic efforts to expose India’s evil face before the world.
Samina Ghurki expressed satisfaction over the unison and solidarity demonstrated by all the political parties in the current situation.
