Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday informed the international community that India will be given a “befitting response” if it was reckless enough to carry out a “false-flag operation” against Pakistan.
In a series of tweets, the premier warned that India’s BJP-led Hindu nationalist government will conduct such an operation against Pakistan to divert attention from the country’s “internal mess”.
His statement comes two days after Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi revealed in the United Arab Emirates that the government had credible information that India was planning a ‘surgical strike’ against Pakistan to divert attention from its internal affairs and that it was trying to seek “tacit approval” for the move from its international partners.
“I want to again warn the world community, as India’s internal problems mount, especially economic recession, growing farmers protests and mishandling of Covid-19, the Modi government will try to divert attention from the internal mess by conducting a false flag operation against Pakistan,” the prime minister wrote.
He made it clear that if India attempted such a move, “it would confront a strong national Pakistani resolve and be given a befitting response at all levels of the threat. Make no mistake.” PM Imran also condemned as “rogue behaviour” the targeting of a United Nations vehicle by Indian troops on Friday that was carrying two officers of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan near the Line of Control.
“In complete violation of international law, India’s deliberate firing at LoC on UNMOGIP vehicle, despite clear UN markings and flying blue UN flag, shows India’s total disregard for all international norms of acceptable state behaviour and respect for UNMOGIP law and UN,” he said.
The premier noted that there had been 3,000 Indian ceasefire violations along the LoC and Working Boundary so far in 2020 alone. He said the “unprovoked firing deliberately targeting civilians” resulted in 276 casualties, of which 92 were women and 68 children.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has taken up the December 18 reprehensible attack by India, on the officials of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan and their vehicle along the Line of Control, with the United Nations, urging it to initiate a transparent investigation into the incident.
In a statement issued by the Foreign Office on Sunday, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN Munir Akram was stated to have written a letter to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the president of the Security Council.
The letter states that, “Deliberate targeting of the UN Observers and their vehicle – which was clearly marked with UN logo and flying a blue flag of the UN – appears to be a new coercive and reckless ploy by India to hinder UNMOGIP’s work, and facilitate another Indian military misadventure against Pakistan.”
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN further requested the UN to forcefully condemn the attack on the UNMOGIP observers and call on India to observe the 2003 ceasefire understanding. “The UN must respond positively and urgently to repeated calls by Pakistan to strengthen UNMOGIP and improve its ability to observe and report on ceasefire violations,” the letter contends.
Pakistan also reminded the UN that the illegal and inhuman military siege and communications lockdown by the Indian government in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir had now lasted for over 500 days.
