Pakistan’s military was yesterday on high alert in Kashmir as its prime minister warned India against carrying out any “false flag” operations in the disputed region after a UN vehicle in a Pakistan-administered area came under attack.
Pakistan blamed Friday last week’s attack on India, implying it was aimed at embarrassing Islamabad and harming relations with the international community.
India has denied the allegations.
The two UN observers in the vehicle escaped unharmed.
“I am making absolutely clear to the [international] community that if India was to be reckless enough to conduct a false flag operation against Pakistan, it would confront a strong national Pakistani resolve & be given a befitting response at all levels of the threat. Make no mistake,” Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan wrote on Twitter on Sunday.
Pakistan says the attack was deliberate, as such vehicles are clearly marked and “recognizable even from long distances.”
The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had “credible information that India was planning to stage a ‘false flag’ attack to divert attention from its domestic difficulties, and create justification for another misadventure against Pakistan.”
“If that were to happen, Pakistan will exercise its right to self-defense,” the ministry said in a letter to the UN.
Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Anurag Srivastava said that Pakistan’s allegations were “investigated in detail, and found to be factually incorrect and false.”
He said Indian troops were aware of the presence of UN observers and did not open fire.
“Instead of repeating baseless and fabricated allegations against India to cover up its own failure in ensuring the safety and security of UN personnel in territory under its control, Pakistan should responsibly investigate its lapses,” Srivastava said in a statement.
Kashmir is split between Indian and Pakistani control, and both claim it in its entirety.
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