In a briefing to the media, Vikram Misri pointed to Pakistan’s attack on a gurdwara in Amritsar and its subsequent attempt to blame the Indian Armed Forces. He described Islamabad’s notion that India would target its own cities as "a deranged fantasy"
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Colonel Sophiya Qureshi at the press briefing on Friday. PIC/PTI
Pakistan’s attack on places of worship, coupled with its "preposterous" attempts to place the blame on Indian Armed Forces, is a reflection of Islamabad's malicious agenda and its efforts to deceive and mislead the international community, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated on Friday, amid heightened tensions between the two neighbours.
In a briefing to the media, Misri pointed to Pakistan’s attack on a gurdwara in Amritsar and its subsequent attempt to blame the Indian Armed Forces. He described Islamabad’s notion that India would target its own cities as "a deranged fantasy" — a notion that only the Pakistani state could conceive.
The Foreign Secretary also sharply criticised Pakistan for its provocative and escalatory actions, specifically its attempt to target Indian cities and civilian infrastructure using drones on Thursday night, news agency PTI reported.
Denouncing Pakistan’s "blatantly farcical denial" of these attacks, Misri said it was yet another example of Islamabad's duplicity and the "new depths" it is willing to sink to in its "quest for disinformation."
The tensions between the two nuclear neighbours escalated following India’s strike on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor early on Wednesday.
During his briefing, Misri alleged that Pakistan targeted religious sites in an attempt to give the ongoing situation a communal twist.
India-Pakistan tensions: Kartarpur Sahib corridor suspended, says Vikram Misri
"Instead of taking responsibility for these attacks, Pakistan made the preposterous and outrageous claim that it was the Indian armed forces — the Indian Air Force, no less — that was targeting cities like Amritsar and attempting to pin the blame on Pakistan," he said, amid the escalating India-Pakistan tensions.
"This is nothing but a desperate attempt by Pakistan to disown its acts of aggression, while also reflecting its broader efforts to deceive and mislead the world. But it will not succeed," Misri added.
"Perhaps they do this because they are well-versed in such actions, as their history would suggest," the Foreign Secretary further stated.
Misri dismissed Pakistan’s claims that India used a drone to target the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara, calling it "a blatant lie" and a part of Pakistan’s ongoing disinformation campaign. Referring to the terror attack in Pahalgam, Misri said Pakistan was again "desperately trying to give a communal hue to the situation in an attempt to sow discord."
"Once again, we are not surprised. India's unwavering unity itself challenges Pakistan," he asserted.
In light of the current security situation, Misri confirmed that the Kartarpur Sahib corridor had been suspended, PTI reported.
On India’s recent strikes against Bahawalpur’s Markaz Subhan Allah — a key centre of Jaish-e-Mohammed, the group linked to the killing of journalist Daniel Pearl — Misri said the terror outfit was "directly or indirectly" responsible for his death.
"Bahawalpur is the headquarters of the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist group, which is proscribed by the UN. Its leader, Masood Azhar, is a designated individual," Misri said in response to a query.
"You mentioned the tragic death of Daniel Pearl. The JeM was, in some way, directly or indirectly responsible for his death. But the real connection lies with Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, the British-Pakistani jihadi who was held in India but was released in 2000. He was the individual who lured Daniel Pearl to his… murder," he said.
(With PTI inputs)
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