ISLAMABAD / RAWALPINDI: Tensions between India and Pakistan continued to escalate on Thursday as Pakistan strongly rejected India’s claims of missile strikes on 15 locations within its territory, calling the accusations “false, baseless, and politically motivated.”
In a joint press conference, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and military spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry fiercely denied the allegations, describing them as part of a broader campaign by New Delhi to deflect attention from its own internal issues and military setbacks.
“India’s narrative of missile strikes on 15 Pakistani locations is pure fiction,” said Lt Gen Chaudhry, Director-General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). He called on India to stop spreading misinformation, emphasizing that facts in today’s world are easily verifiable.
The tensions began following a series of events that saw both countries accusing each other of aggression. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar accused India of deliberately firing projectiles at its own territory, including three aimed at Amritsar, India’s Punjab capital, located near the border with Pakistan. He further revealed that a fourth projectile entered Pakistan’s airspace and was intercepted by the country’s air defense systems near Dinga, in Gujrat district.
Dar labeled India’s actions as a “malicious strategy” designed to falsely implicate Pakistan and incite tensions, particularly among the Sikh community in India. He claimed that these actions were intended to distract from India’s internal challenges, including military failures.
“It is a calculated move to target Amritsar and stoke anti-Pakistan sentiments within the Sikh community,” Dar said. He added that India’s claims about Pakistan targeting civilians were fabricated, and challenged India to provide credible evidence to substantiate its allegations.
Lt Gen Chaudhry backed these claims, revealing that India had launched four projectiles, three of which were aimed at Amritsar and one was neutralized after entering Pakistani airspace. He also dismissed India’s accusation that Pakistan had attacked multiple targets in India, labeling it as “a fantastic and cooked-up story.”
Pakistan’s military has been actively intercepting hostile drones, with 29 such drones neutralized in recent days. However, some of the drones caused casualties, including four Pakistani soldiers injured and three civilians killed by Indian drone strikes. One Israeli-manufactured drone was even shot down over Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, during the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL), in an apparent attempt by India to intimidate international players and disrupt normal activities in Pakistan.
While rejecting the allegations of missile strikes in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, Dar emphasized that India’s narrative was aimed at justifying its ongoing aggression against Pakistan. “India’s story is politically motivated, a desperate attempt to shift focus from its own failures,” he stated.
Despite the provocations, Pakistan’s government has exercised strategic restraint, limiting its responses to self-defense in accordance with international law. However, Dar made it clear that Pakistan reserves the right to respond to India “at a time, place, and manner of its choosing.”
Lt Gen Chaudhry reassured the public that Pakistan’s armed forces remain vigilant and prepared to defend the country against any threats, adding that the nation is united in its commitment to sovereignty and peace.
As the situation remains tense, both sides have continued to trade accusations, while international observers remain concerned about the potential for further escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
