Islamabad, February 26: Pakistan on Tuesday “strongly rejected” India’s claim of targeting a terrorist camp near Balakot and causing heavy casualties even as it vowed to respond “at the time and place of its choosing” to what it called India’s “uncalled-for aggression”.
At a special meeting of the National Security Committee hours after Indian air strikes in Balakot inside Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan asked the armed forces and the people of Pakistan to be ready for any eventuality.
India bombed and destroyed Jaish-e-Mohammed’s biggest training camp in Pakistan early on Tuesday, killing a “very large number” of terrorists, trainers and senior commanders, officials said in New Delhi.
“Forum (NSC) strongly rejected Indian claim of targeting an alleged terrorist camp near Balakot and the claim of heavy casualties. Once again, the Indian government has resorted to a self-serving, reckless and fictitious claim,” said a statement issued after the NSC meeting in Islamabad.
It claimed that the “action has been done for domestic consumption being in election environment, putting regional peace and stability at grave risk”.
It also invited the world media to see the facts on ground and proposed a visit to the site.
“The Forum concluded that India has committed uncalled-for aggression to which Pakistan shall respond at the time and place of its choosing,” it added.
To take the nation on board, the government has decided to requisition a joint session of Parliament, the statement said.
Khan will also engage with global leadership to “expose irresponsible” Indian policy in the region.
Earlier, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said India had committed “aggression” by violating the LoC and Islamabad had the “right to respond”.
His remarks came after combat jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) bombed terror camps at multiple locations across the Line of Control (LoC) on the Pakistani side in a pre-dawn strike.
In Islamabad, Qureshi said India had violated the LoC and Pakistan had the right to respond.
“First, they committed aggression against Pakistan today. It is a violation of the LoC. I consider it a violation of the LoC, and Pakistan has the right to give a suitable response in self-defence,” he told reporters after an “emergency meeting” with high-level officials at the Foreign Office (FO) for consultations.
Qureshi briefed Prime Minister Khan after the meeting at the FO. PTI
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