The Indian government on Thursday evening held another press conference with the same set of officials — foreign secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh — in Delhi.
On claims about Rafales being downed by Pakistan and the death toll of terrorists killed in precision strike on the intervening night of May 6-7, Misri said information on these would be shared in “due time”.
At the second press conference on Operation Sindoor, Misri began by saying that he wanted to set the record straight on disinformation and fabrication from Pakistan. India began the operation after Pakistan based terrorists killed 26 civilians in Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
Pakistan’s security agencies have accused India of targeting its Neelam-Jhelum dam in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Misri called the charge “an absolute and complete fabrication and a blatant lie. India has targeted only, and only terrorist infrastructure”.
Then he went on to warn Pakistan. “And the details of that terrorist infrastructure, together with the location was shared with you yesterday by Col Qureshi and Wg Cdr Singh. I should note that if this kind of claim is a pretext for targeting Indian infrastructure of a similar nature, Pakistan will be entirely responsible for the consequences that will undoubtedly follow.”
‘Giving terrorists state funerals’
Pakistan has claimed that its civilians were killed in the precision strikes. Misri called out the claim and flashed a placard with a photo of the United Nations-proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba leader leading the funeral prayers for the dead.
“If only civilians were killed in these attacks, I wonder what message this picture actually sends to all of you. This is a question that is worth asking. It’s also odd that the funerals of civilians are carried out with the coffins being draped in Pakistani flags, and state honors being accorded. As far as we are concerned, the individuals eliminated at these facilities were terrorists. Giving terrorists state funerals may be a practice in Pakistan. It doesn't seem to make much sense to us,” the foreign secretary asserted.
‘No positive result’
Pakistan has made calls for a joint investigation in the Pahalgam attack. But Misri said India had been on this route before — without any “positive” result.
“We, in particular with regard to the Mumbai attacks of 2008, where a Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist was captured alive; India provided extensive information and evidence related to the involvement of Pakistani terrorists in this attack. Cases were registered, but you are all aware that these cases have not progressed despite the formation of judicial teams etc., and Pakistan has consistently stonewalled all efforts to move the investigation along,” he said.
Misri said that Pakistan had in fact misused leads into another investigation to cover its tracks for future misadventures. “In fact, with regard to the Pathankot attack as well, a joint investigative team was formed. We gave unprecedented access to the Pakistani team to the site of the attack. Details of call records data, and DNA etc. was shared with Pakistan. We had shared with them details…that we had been able to access…the addresses of terrorists. We presented evidence against the office bearers of Jaish-e-Mohammad who had conspired in the attack, and the handlers of the terrorists who facilitated them, and guided them in. But there has been no movement on this…And in fact, there is reason to believe that Pakistan uses the evidence that we provide only to cover its tracks, and in fact defend the terrorists who we are looking for, and obstruct the path of investigation.”
‘Pak misusing religious sites’
Another accusation from Pakistan is that India deliberately attacked religious sites. Calling the claim false, Misri said: “I have made it clear that the targets were terrorist infrastructure, terrorist facilities, and locations connected clearly with incidents of cross-border terrorism into India. And it is in fact Pakistan that is misusing religious sites as a cover to in fact radicalize, direct, and indoctrinate and train terrorists.” He added that it was in fact Pakistan which had hit a religious site (gurudwara) in Poonch.
In addition, Misri asked the multilateral funding agency International Monetary Fund to look “deep within themselves” before sanctioning a $1.3 bn-loan to Pakistan. He postulated that not many IMF-funded projects in Pakistan “reached “a successful conclusion”.
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