India Lambastes Pakistan FM Shah Mahmood Qureshi For Launching 'New Attack' Rumours, Says Comments 'Irresponsible and Preposterous'

New Delhi, April 7: Hours after Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi claimed that Pakistan has "reliable intelligence" that India will attack again this month, India gave a befitting response calling the statement as 'irresponsible and preposterous'. However, the MEA made it very clear that India reserves the right to respond firmly and decisively to any cross border terrorist attack.

Reacting to the statement of Qureshi, the Ministry of External Affairs said, "India rejects the irresponsible and preposterous statement by the Foreign Minister of Pakistan with a clear objective of whipping hysteria in the region. This gimmick appears to be a call to Pakistan-based terrorists to undertake a terror attack in India." Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Claims India Will Launch New Attack on Third Week of April, Cites 'Reliable Intelligence'. 

Adding on, it said, "It has been made clear to Pakistan that it cannot absolve itself of responsibility of a cross border terrorist attack in India. No attempt at creating an alibi for its complicity in such attacks will succeed. Pakistan needs to take credible and irreversible steps against terrorism operating from all territories under its control rather than making hysterical statements to obfuscate the core issue that bedevils our region: cross- border terrorism."

Advising Pakistan to inform India about cross- border terrorism, the MEA statement said, "Pakistan has been advised to use established diplomatic and DGMO channels to share any actionable and credible intelligence it has about imminent terror attacks. India reserves the right to respond firmly and decisively to any cross border terrorist attack."

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Earlier on Sunday, Pakistan Foreign Minister had claimed that Pakistan has "reliable intelligence" that India will attack again this month, between April 16 and 20. He also informed that Pakistan had told the five permanent members of the UN Security Council of its concerns. Pakistan PM Imran Khan Tweets on Balakot Air Strike, BJP Accuses Opposition of Strengthening Those Harbouring Terrorism. 

Addressing a press conference in Multan, Qureshi said, as Reuter reports, "We have reliable intelligence that India is planning a new attack on Pakistan. As per our information, this could take place between April 16 and 20." Though the Pakistan Minister didn't elaborate on what pieces of evidence' basis he is making the claim, but said the PM Imran Khan had agreed to share the information with the country.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 07, 2019 09:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).