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Friday, March 15, 2024

Afraid of being exposed? India refrains from joining Foreign diplomats at LOC

Indian diplomatic staff did not accompany the team of foreign diplomats and media personnel taken by the Foreign Office (FO) and DG ISPR to visit the site of the “three terror launch pads” claimed by the Indian Army Chief, Bipin Rawat.

Pakistan, on Tuesday, took a team comprising of foreign diplomats to the Line of Control (LoC) as part of its campaign to unveil the fallacies behind New Delhi’s claims of targeting alleged terror “training camps” and “terror launch pads” in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

India’s ambassador and diplomats did not join the group, refusing Islamabad’s invitation to visit the area, which further cemented Pakistan’s doubts on the truthfulness of India’s claims.

Dr. Mohammad Faisal, official spokesperson of the Foreign Office (FO), said on Tuesday, “The Indian side has not joined us in the visit to LoC neither have they provided coordinates of the alleged “launchpads”.

He added, “Claims” by Indian Army Chief remain just that: “claims”

India Shying from Transparency

The Foreign Office and Director General Inter=Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General Asif Ghafoor, accompanied a team of foreign diplomats to Neelum Valley, In Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to allow them to witness firsthand whether the Indian Army had “smashed four terror launch pads” at the location on early Sunday morning.

Read more: “You will always get a befitting response”, DG ISPR Slams Indian Ceasefire violations

The diplomats visited the Nausehri, Jura and Shahkot sectors near the Line of Control (LoC), alongside a visit to the Nausada village, which has witnessed grave destructions in the wake of the unprovoked ceasefire violations of the Indian occupation army.

This visit had been arranged to allow foreign diplomats an opportunity for transparency that highlighted the fallacies behind the claims made by the Indian Army Chief, General Bipin Rawat.

DG ISPR Major Gen Asif Ghafoor briefed the diplomats and media personnel about the devastations and civilian injuries and deaths occurred in the area. The team was shown artillery shells fired by the Indian army from across the LoC.

Briefing the visitors, DG ISPR said that in 2018, India committed 3,038 ceasefire violations, which martyred 58 civilians while 319 were gravely injured. In 2019, he said there have been 2,608 Indian ceasefire violations so far, which martyred 44 civilians and 230 were injured.

The unprovoked Indian ceasefire violations in the Jura, Shahkot, and Nousehri sectors, led to a heavy exchange of fire, leading to the deaths of nine Indian soldiers

He said that the Pakistan Army is different from the Indian Army in its commitment towards military norms, and its resolve to avoid civilian casualties by targeting only Indian Army posts.

DG ISPR added that the foreign diplomats were also taken to the Jura Bazaar, where they interacted with the locals and shopkeepers. The diplomats and media personnel witnessed the damaged houses and shops, which India had targeted, claiming it has “decimated terror hubs”.

Major General Asif Ghafoor said, “It’s all innocent people being targeted by India.”

Tweeting from his official account, DG ISPR questioned the absence of the Indian diplomatic staff at the fact-finding mission led to debunk Indian claims.

Read more: India Setting Stage for False Flag Attack with Accusations of Terror Camps: DG ISPR

He said, “What good Indian High Commission is which can’t stand with its Army Chief? Indian High Commission staff didn’t have the moral courage to accompany fellow diplomats in Pakistan to LOC. However, a group of foreign diplomats & media is on the way to LOC to see the truth on ground.”

Three Terror Launch Pads

The unprovoked Indian ceasefire violations in the Jura, Shahkot, and Nousehri sectors, led to a heavy exchange of fire, leading to the deaths of nine Indian soldiers. One Pakistan soldier and five civilians were also martyred.

Soon after the clashes on LoC, Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had claimed that “three terror launch pads” were decimated, while several alleged terrorists were killed in AJK.

The Pakistan Army debunked Indian claims, terming it a part of New Delhi’s campaign to accuse Pakistan of sponsoring terrorism in a bid to divert attention from the atrocities committed in Indian occupied Kashmir.

DG ISPR had announced Pakistan’s decision to take foreign diplomats and media personnel to “see facts on ground”.

Taking to twitter, he said, “Indians have no grounds to support false claim made by their COAS. If they don’t want to go they have the option to share claimed targeted locations with our foreign office. We will take foreign diplomats & media tomorrow on those given locations. Let all see facts on ground.”

The Foreign Office extended an invitation to the Indian High Commission, inviting New Delhi’s top diplomat, and diplomatic staff to visit the site where the Indian Army Chief has claimed to “decimate three terror launch pads”.