Pakistan rubbishes Modi's 'surgical strikes' claim

Foreign Office confirms travel restrictions on diplomats in US

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday rebuked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his latest claim that his government had informed Islamabad about the so-called 'surgical strikes' before making the news public.

"On Indian prime minister's statement, we have already categorically dismissed the farcical allegations of the so-called surgical strike, which is nothing but a figment of Indian imagination and a tenuous relationship with truth," Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal said while reacting to Modi's latest claim he made in London.

The Indian Prime Minister, according to The Times of India, claimed that that New Delhi tried to contact Islamabad before making news of the strikes public.

"India had repeatedly attempted to contact Pakistan's government to inform them about the top-secret operation conducted by the Indian forces," claimed Modi while attending an event in London.



"I said before India gets to know, we should call Pakistan and tell them what we did. We were calling them since 11:00am but they did not answer the phone. At 12 we spoke to them and then told the Indian media," elaborated the Indian prime minister. However, Pakistan rubbished the Modi's claim.

"Constant repetition of a fallacious claim does not make it real. The Indian government is increasingly sounding like a broken record," Faisal emphasized.

India claimed to have carried out the surgical strikes inside Azad Jammu and Kashmir just days after its military base came under attack, leaving at least 21 Indian soldiers dead in Uri in September 2016.

Pakistan always denied India's claims as an attempt to divert attentions from the uprising in Occupied Kashmir. The army had taken a group of local and international journalists to locations along the Line of Control where India claimed to have carried out the surgical strikes.

Modi further stated that the 2016 strikes on the country were aimed at sending a strong message to Islamabad, according to the Indian publication.

"We believe in peace. But we will not tolerate those who like to export terror. We will give back strong answers," alleged Modi and added that in such a case "India knows how to give a reply".

However, the Foreign Office spokesperson said it was not Pakistan but India that has been exporting terrorism.

"History is replete with instances of Pakistan being back-stabbed by India, rather than the other way around. It is India which continues to sponsor of acts of terrorism in Pakistan. Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav in Pakistan's custody is the living proof of who exports terror," Faisal said.

Indian Occupied Kashmir rape case

Commenting on the Kashmir rape case, the spokesperson said Indian government had come under immense criticism about the brutal Kathua rape of an 8-year-old who was kidnapped, held in a temple, repeatedly raped and then bludgeoned to death.

"The brutal, heinous murder is an indication of the inhuman manner in which rape is systemically used as a tool of subjugation in IoK," Faisal said.

He said the horrific Unnao case where a minor girl was allegedly raped by members of the incumbent government and her father found dead subsequently under mysterious circumstances had stoked further criticism against the Indian government and sections of society that was not only tolerating these barbaric acts but even protecting them.

The widespread protests against complete failure of the Indian government to bring the perpetrators to justice, especially when the government is complicit in such incidents, had exposed deepening fissures in the Indian society and the government, he maintained.

"This criticism is not confined to India but has spread to the whole world, including the UK and Sweden. All this is happening even while atrocities and human rights violation by Indian occupation forces continue in IoK including the shelling, cane charges and tear gas attacks by Indian forces on unarmed innocent students in IoK."

Travel restrictions on Pakistani diplomats

The spokesperson officially confirmed that the US had communicated to Pakistan regarding imposing travel restrictions on its diplomats stationed in Washington.

"Yes, we have received official communication regarding certain measures that the US intends to implement wef May 1, 2018. The issue is primarily of reciprocity," he added.



However, he maintained that both sides were in touch and "we are hopeful that the matter will be resolved. We have nothing more to add to this at the moment."

On the US Defence attaché who killed a young Pakistani in a road accident, the spokesperson said issue was being dealt with under the Vienna Conventions.

"We are awaiting the outcome of preliminary investigations from Islamabad Police, based on which further actions would be initiated," he said.

He then added: "I would like to invite your attention to Articles 31 and 32 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961 which inter-alia deal with the diplomatic immunity.

He will be treated under Pakistan's Diplomatic and Consular Privileges Act 1972, which gives effect to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961 and Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963, the spokesperson further said.