Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Saturday categorically dismissed Pakistan’s “ludicrous claims” that Indian missiles had struck Afghanistan, calling them “totally frivolous allegations.”
Speaking at a joint press briefing alongside Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Air Force Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, Misri urged the Afghan people to recall which nation had repeatedly targeted civilians and infrastructure in their country — a pointed reference to Pakistan.
“The Afghan people do not need reminders about which country has, time and again — including over the last year and a half — attacked civilian populations and infrastructure in Afghanistan,” he said.
Misri accused Islamabad of orchestrating a desperate disinformation campaign aimed at portraying India as the aggressor. “Pakistan is engaged in a cynical attempt to distort global perception and malign the Indian government,” he said.
Responding to recent remarks by the Pakistani Army’s spokesperson regarding dissent within India, Misri said: “The Pakistan Army spokesman seems to take great joy at the fact that the Indian public should criticise the government of India with regard to various issues. It may be a surprise to Pakistan to see citizens criticising their own government. That is the hallmark of any open and functioning democracy. Pakistan’s unfamiliarity with that should not be surprising.”
He also rejected Pakistan’s baseless allegations that Indian missiles had targeted a religious site. “Pakistani officials are continuing to make ludicrous claims about India firing missiles towards a gurdwara. These lame attempts to divide India are doomed to fail,” Misri said.
Misri refuted claims that large segments of India’s critical infrastructure — including power and cyber systems — had been destroyed. “These assertions are completely fabricated,” he stated, urging the public not to fall for the “tissue of lies” being circulated.
He stressed that Pakistan continues to target civilians and civilian infrastructure, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. “On Saturday morning, Pakistan shelled the town of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the death of Additional Deputy District Magistrate Raj Kumar Thapa,” he said.
(With IANS inputs)