De-escalation onus on Pak, says MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said the onus was on Pakistan to de-escalate tensions as it rejected demands for a joint probe into the Pahalgam terror attack with Islamabad.

Advertisement

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who was speaking at a media briefing on Operation Sindoor, warned the western neighbour of “consequences” if any Indian infrastructure was hit.

“Our intention has not been to escalate matters. We are only responding to the original escalation, “the Pahalgam terror attack was an escalation”, the Foreign Secretary said.

Asked about India’s response if Pakistan escalated, Misri said: “We have made our stance clear, it is Pakistan that escalated on April 22 (Pahalgam attack). Now if there is an attempt to escalate, it will be responded to appropriately. The choice is entirely that of Pakistan to make.”

Mentioning last night’s missile-UAV duel over parts of northern and western India, Misri said it was Pakistan that escalated and attempted to hit multiple targets in India. The Indian forces had only responded.

There is a lot of unfounded disinformation and fabrication from Pakistan, said Misri, adding that they were trying to wash their hands of involvement in terrorism.

“Pakistan’s reputation as the epicenter of global terrorism is rooted in a number of instances where concrete evidence is available, not just with India, but with governments and authorities and agencies around the world,” Misri said.

Pakistan is home to UN-proscribed terrorists and also those proscribed by other governments, including the Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, besides their leaders Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar.

Misri said calls for a joint investigation into the Pahalgam attack were just “delaying and stonewalling tactics”. He cited the example of sharing information after the 2008 Mumbai attacks and 2016 Pathankot Air Base attack and said: “There is reason to believe that Pakistan uses the evidence that we provide only to cover its tracks, and in fact defend the terrorists who we are looking for, and obstruct the path of investigation.”

Misri debunked Pakistan’s claims that India deliberately attacked religious sites. “This is completely false… Pakistan is misusing religious sites as a cover to radicalise, direct, indoctrinate and train terrorists.”

On the allegations of targeting a dam, the Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project, in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Misri said: “It is an absolute and complete fabrication and a blatant lie.” He warned Pakistan against using this lie to target Indian infrastructure of a similar nature and said “Pakistan will be entirely responsible for the consequences that will undoubtedly follow”.

On the Indus Waters Treaty, he said India had honoured the treaty for six decades. Asked about reports of losses to the IAF, Misri said operations were on and information would be provided at the right time.