India Slams Pakistan for Deliberate Attempt to Shift Focus from Internal Failures

New Delhi, Nov 16: India has slammed a recent press conference by Pakistan's Foreign Ministry and the Establishment calling it, "Yet another futile anti-India propaganda exercise".

Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Anurag Srivastava said in response to a media query, "We have seen media reports on a press conference by the Pakistani establishment. This is yet another futile anti-India propaganda exercise".

"The so called claims of 'proof' against India enjoy no credibility, are fabricated and represent figments of imagination. This desperate attempt will find few takers as the international community is aware of Pakistan's tactics and proof of its terror sponsorship has been admitted by none other than its own leadership," he added.

The reaction by India came a day after Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi addressed a press conference with Army spokesman Major General Babar Iftikhar to claim that India was behind some of the terror attacks in that country.

The MEA spokesperson said, "The face of global terror, Osama Bin Laden, was found in Pakistan; Pakistan's PM glorified him as a 'martyr' from the floor of Parliament; he admitted the presence of 40,000 terrorists in Pakistan; their Science and Technology Minister proudly claimed involvement and success of Pakistan, led by its Prime Minister, in the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 Indian soldiers were martyred".

Despite repeated calls for restraint and adherence to the ceasefire understanding of 2003 for maintaining peace and tranquillity, Pakistani forces continue to engage in providing supporting cover fire to infiltrators. The incessant infiltration of terrorists and induction of weapons to fuel terror activities continues unabated. Such activities are not possible without the support of Pakistani forces deployed along the LoC, MEA said.

The MEA said the press conference was a deliberate attempt on the part of the Pakistani establishment to shift focus from its internal political and economic failures. It also seeks to justify cross-border terrorism, including ceasefire violations and infiltration across the LoC and IB.

"We call upon Pakistan to end its support to cross border terrorism. Pakistani leaders have never hidden the fact that it has become a factory for producing terrorists. India is not the only neighbour to be targeted as underlined by the statements of countries similarly targeted," he added.

"Distant parts of the world have seen the terror trail lead back to Pakistan. Concocting documents and peddling false narratives will not absolve Pakistan of such actions. We are confident the world will hold it to account," Shrivastava said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 16, 2020 09:23 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).