Pakistan remains in denial; says will take international media to spot of attack to verify claims

Addressing media-persons several hours after the precision strikes by India, Qureshi said: “It has been decided that the Pakistani international media will be taken to the claimed site, if the weather permits.”

Image: Screengrab ANI

New Delhi: Pakistan which is jolted to its core by pre-emptive air strikes by India on its terror camps has denied any such attack by the IAF and has termed India’s claim as “fictitious”. Its Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that he plans to take international media to the claimed site and will expose India’s “false claims.” Addressing media-persons several hours after the precision strikes by India, Qureshi said: “It has been decided that the Pakistani international media will be taken to the claimed site, if the weather permits.” He said: “Helicopters are ready, if the weather is fine, they will be taken to the site this very moment so that they can do a fair inspection of the site, and propaganda of India can be unveiled.” Citing PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti’s statement, Qureshi said: “Voices have begun to emanate from within; the statement of Mehbooba Mufti is before you, that the story being presented is contrary to the reality.” In a statement after a hurriedly called high level meeting of National Security Committee, Pakistan rejected Indian claim of targeting a terrorist camp in the country and causing heavy casualties even as it vowed to respond "at the time and place of its choosing" and raise the issue at the United Nations and other international forums.

#WATCH Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi says, "...Voices from within (within India) have started to emanate. The statement by Mehbooba Mufti is before you, that the story being presented is the opposite of reality." (Courtesy: Pakistan's PTV News) pic.twitter.com/y6VE7SVCaB

— ANI (@ANI) February 26, 2019

Imran Khan also asked the armed forces and the people of his country to remain prepared for "all eventualities." India bombed and destroyed Jaish-e-Mohammed's (JeM) biggest training camp in Balakot in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, about 80-km from the Line of Control, early Tuesday, killing a "very large number" of terrorists, trainers and senior commanders, officials said in New Delhi. The air strikes came 12 days after the JeM carried out the Pulwama terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 40 CRPF soldiers.