New Delhi [India], May 8 : Dismissing Pakistan's claims that it had downed Indian jets, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri called the claims baseless propaganda, calling it part of a long-standing pattern of misinformation.
He further recalled how Pakistan has been resorting to falsehoods since its inception in 1947, including its denial of involvement in the invasion of Jammu and Kashmir before the United Nations.
Addressing a press briefing on Thursday, Misri said, "There is nothing surprising in it. After all, this is a country that started lying as soon as it was born. In 1947, when the Pakistani army claimed Jammu and Kashmir, they lied not to any random person but to the United Nations that we have nothing to do with it. So this journey started 75 years ago."
Misri also rejected Pakistan's allegation that India had targeted the Neelum-Jhelum dam in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), calling it "absolutely fabricated and a blatant lie."
Emphasising that India's operations have been limited strictly to terrorist infrastructure, Misri warned that if such false claims are being used as a pretext to target Indian infrastructure, Pakistan would bear responsibility for the consequences that follow.
Misri said, "Pakistan also alleges that we have targeted the Neelum-Jhelum dam in Pojk, which is absolutely fabricated and a blatant lie. India has only targeted terrorist infrastructure. If this kind of a claim is a pretext for targeting Indian infrastructure of a similar nature, then Pakistan will be solely responsible for the consequences that will undoubtedly follow."
He added, "Now if there is an attempt at further escalation by Pakistan, it will be responded to in an appropriate domain and therefore the choices entirely that of Pakistan to make."
Following the terror attack in Pahalgam of Jammu and Kashmir in India on April 22, the Indian Armed Forces on Wednesday launched 'Operation Sindoor', carrying out precision strikes on nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), days after the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people.
"Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution, "the Ministry of Defence had said.
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor