Pakistan rejects allegations of stirring panic, exodus in India
Rumours of Muslim revenge attacks were fuelled by posts on social media, spread through text messages.
NEW DELHI:
Rejecting the Indian interior ministry’s allegations, Pakistan on Sunday dismissed claims that false rumors of revenge attacks for violence against Assam Muslims which led to an exodus of people from northwest India were initiated in Pakistan, reports IANS.
The Indian interior ministry had claimed that most of the threatening mobile phone text messages and website images that spread panic among migrants from cities in the south and west of India last week originated in Pakistan.
According to AP, Home Secretary RK Singh told reporters that investigators had found that most of the Pakistani websites used images of people killed in cyclones and earthquakes and passed them off as Muslims killed in violence earlier this year to spread fear of revenge attacks. The sites have now been blocked in India.
Pakistan, however, has rejected the allegations.
"Instead of indulging in mud-slinging and blame game, it's time for India to address its internal issues," sources inside the Pakistani high commission told IANS. "Such comments only widen the trust deficit."
Thousands of students and workers from India’s northeast fled Mumbai, Bangalore and other cities, fearing retaliation for recent violence against Muslims in Assam, one of the states in their far-flung corner of the country.
The false rumours of Muslim revenge attacks were fuelled by threats posted on social media websites and spread through text messages. Migrants were also alarmed by misleading images that purported to show victims of mass killings.
Earlier, an Indian interior ministry spokesperson had said that after checking and verifying, they could say with responsibility that the bulk of text messages spreading rumours about the northeast region had come from Pakistan.
Clashes between indigenous people in Assam and Muslim settlers from neighbouring Bangladesh have killed 75 people and displaced more than 400,000.
Rejecting the Indian interior ministry’s allegations, Pakistan on Sunday dismissed claims that false rumors of revenge attacks for violence against Assam Muslims which led to an exodus of people from northwest India were initiated in Pakistan, reports IANS.
The Indian interior ministry had claimed that most of the threatening mobile phone text messages and website images that spread panic among migrants from cities in the south and west of India last week originated in Pakistan.
According to AP, Home Secretary RK Singh told reporters that investigators had found that most of the Pakistani websites used images of people killed in cyclones and earthquakes and passed them off as Muslims killed in violence earlier this year to spread fear of revenge attacks. The sites have now been blocked in India.
Pakistan, however, has rejected the allegations.
"Instead of indulging in mud-slinging and blame game, it's time for India to address its internal issues," sources inside the Pakistani high commission told IANS. "Such comments only widen the trust deficit."
Thousands of students and workers from India’s northeast fled Mumbai, Bangalore and other cities, fearing retaliation for recent violence against Muslims in Assam, one of the states in their far-flung corner of the country.
The false rumours of Muslim revenge attacks were fuelled by threats posted on social media websites and spread through text messages. Migrants were also alarmed by misleading images that purported to show victims of mass killings.
Earlier, an Indian interior ministry spokesperson had said that after checking and verifying, they could say with responsibility that the bulk of text messages spreading rumours about the northeast region had come from Pakistan.
Clashes between indigenous people in Assam and Muslim settlers from neighbouring Bangladesh have killed 75 people and displaced more than 400,000.