Pakistan rejects Indian army chief's claims of 'reactivating terror camp'

Faisal dismisses attempts to sabotage Islamabad's campaign at UNHRC moot in Geneva

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad on Tuesday categorically rejected a claim by India’s army chief, Bipin Rawat, that a “terror camp” in Balakot has been “reactivated”.

The Indian army chief – in another irresponsible statement – had alleged a day earlier that a “terror camp in Balakot had been reactivated and 500 militants were waiting to infiltrate India”.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Mohammad Faisal rebutted the statement as baseless and added that New Delhi’s allegations of infiltration from Pakistan were a desperate attempt to divert international attention from the humanitarian nightmare in occupied Kashmir.

Responding to a question, Faisal said India would neither succeed in misleading the world through distracting tactics nor be able to hide its "unabated state-sponsored terrorism in the occupied Himalayan valley.



The spokesperson highlighted that in 2019 alone 26 civilians were martyred while 124 injured due to ceasefire violations by Indian forces.

“The insincerity and lack of credibility of Indian statements are further exposed by the fact that India severely hinders the functioning of the UNMOGIP and limits the free and unhampered mobility of its personnel, which is incomplete contrast with Pakistan’s approach of allowing full facilitation of their free movement,” he added.

Faisal further said that India’s belligerent rhetoric and actions were a threat to regional peace and stability.

“We hope the international community would take due cognizance and urge India to act responsibly and refrain from steps that only serve to vitiate an already tense environment,” the spokesperson maintained.

New Delhi's decision to revoke the special status granted to IOK by the Indian constitution and the consequent information and communication clampdown has left the occupied region reeling. More than a hundred have been reportedly injured in clashes between protestors and occupying forces. International media has also reported that the Narendra Modi-led government is downplaying the number of deaths by refusing to issue death certificates.

Separately, the FO spokesperson also dismissed attempts to sabotage Pakistan's campaign against Indian atrocities at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) moot in Geneva.

He cited the joint statement issued by members and non-members of the UNHRC, demanding India to end the clampdown, release political prisoners and implement recommendations put forth in the UN report on IOK.

He added that a number of statements have been made by different regional and political groups, UN member states and INGOs on the worsening human rights situation in occupied Kashmir. He further stressed that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has also expressed her serious concern on the current grave human rights situation in IOK.

“From amongst the various options available to us, a considered decision was taken in favour of a joint statement with cross-regional wide support. No voting has taken place at this session of the Human Rights Council to-date. Any speculation in this regard is, therefore, completely specious and fictitious,” he added.

Faisal maintained Pakistan will relentlessly seek measures to alleviate the suffering of the Kashmiri people. “Due to Pakistan’s efforts Kashmir has today been acknowledged as the situation of immense concern at the Human Rights Council as it will at the UNGA,” he said.