On Thursday, Pakistan firmly dismissed India’s claims of firing missiles at 15 locations along the border, labeling them as “false, baseless, and politically motivated.” The tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors are escalating, raising concerns about a potential crisis.
Pakistan, during a joint news conference, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and military spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry explained that these accusations are part of a larger strategy by New Delhi to distract from its own internal issues and military failures.
Dar pointed out that India has been targeting its own citizens, especially Sikhs, to create a diversion from its repeated military setbacks — notably the downing of five Indian fighter jets, including three French-made Rafales, by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) following India’s missile strikes on Wednesday.
Lt Gen Chaudhry, the director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), added that India had actually launched four missiles that hit its own facilities in Amritsar. “Their story about striking 15 Pakistani targets is nothing but a fabrication,” he stated.
He urged Indian officials to stop spreading misinformation, especially in a time when facts can be easily verified. Dar also challenged India to provide credible evidence for its claims. “India’s assertion that Pakistan attacked Amritsar is completely made up,” Dar said. “When Pakistan decides to respond, the world will witness it — and hear it,” the military spokesperson emphasized.
Dar accused India of intentionally targeting Amritsar, the capital of Indian Punjab, with missiles in a calculated effort to stir anti-Pakistan sentiments among the Sikh community.
He mentioned that India launched four projectiles, likely missiles, aimed at Pakistani territory in the early hours of Thursday. “In a deeply sinister act, three projectiles were deliberately dropped on Amritsar, while the fourth one entered Pakistan’s airspace but was intercepted by our air defense,” he explained.
During a recent statement, Dar mentioned, “The debris landed in Denga, which is located in Pakistan.” He went on to criticize what he called the “malicious act of the Hindutva regime,” accusing it of wrongfully implicating Pakistan in attacks on Indian civilians. This, he argued, was an attempt to stir up anti-Pakistani feelings among the Punjabi Sikh community, diverting attention from the growing communal tensions within India.
The deputy prime minister emphasized that Pakistan firmly denied any “intent or action that endangered civilian populations” in Indian Punjab. He contrasted this with the divisive tactics of Indian leadership, asserting that Pakistan was dedicated to protecting innocent lives and maintaining regional peace.
A military spokesperson disclosed that Pakistan had successfully intercepted and neutralized 29 hostile drones launched by India. He noted that only one incident led to injuries among four soldiers and caused minor damage to military assets. Tragically, three Pakistani civilians lost their lives due to Indian drone strikes.
Dar highlighted that numerous armed Indian drones had breached Pakistan’s airspace, crossing the international border at various points, targeting civilians, and even attempting to strike a military facility, which resulted in injuries to four Army personnel.
The foreign minister also mentioned that one Israeli-made drone was shot down over the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, which was reportedly sent by India to intimidate international players and disrupt normalcy in Pakistan.
He added, “One of these drones even hit the Rawalpindi cricket stadium, a venue for the ongoing HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL), in a deliberate attempt to target both domestic and foreign cricket players.” However, he reassured that these drones had been neutralized.
During the press conference, Dar stated that despite facing repeated provocations, Pakistan, as a responsible nation, had chosen to exercise strategic restraint, responding with maturity and limiting its actions strictly to self-defense in line with international law and the UN Charter.
“Despite the serious and unlawful aggression, including missile strikes within Pakistani territory and violations of our airspace, Pakistan maintains the right to respond to India at a time and place of our choosing,” he stated.
He urged the public to stay calm amidst the Indian aggression, emphasizing that the armed forces are fully alert and ready to counter any threats from India. He pointed out that India is resorting to these “shameful” actions out of embarrassment after losing five of its aircraft.
In a separate statement, security sources dismissed Indian claims of a Pakistani attack on Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). “By spreading these false narratives about a Pakistani attack, India is trying to justify its ongoing blatant aggression against Pakistan,” a source remarked.
Dar criticized India for issuing a politically charged statement, alleging that Pakistan attacked multiple Indian locations, calling it a “big lie.” He added, “What India did today is both shameful and condemnable; they fabricated a story about a drone attack in retaliation for a supposed Pakistani attack.”
Lt Gen Chaudhry reassured the public that Pakistan remains vigilant against all threats and will continue to respond with both precision and restraint. “Our nation stands united in faith and is determined to defend its sovereignty,” he affirmed.
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