Pakistan rejects Indian claim of inflicting heavy casualties in Balakot air strikes

Pakistan rejected on Tuesday India’s claim that it killed many militants in an air strike, branding it “self serving, reckless and fictitious”.

Pakistan officials have said that Indian warplanes did breach its airspace and drop a payload over Balakot in the country’s northwest, but said there was no damage or casualties.

Prime Minister Imran Khan denounced Indian statements that its fighter jets hit a militant camp in Pakistani town of Balakot as “fictitious”.

Imran’s remark came after a meeting of the country’s National Security Committee on Tuesday, hours after Pakistan said Indian aircraft dropped bombs on a deserted wooded area causing no casualties.

Imran said that “once again, the Indian government has resorted to a self- serving, reckless and fictitious claim” and added that the statements from India were “for domestic consumption” in the run-up to elections. He said India risks “putting regional peace and stability at grave risk” and summoned a meeting of parliament for today.

According to the statement, Imran said that “India has committed uncalled for aggression to which Pakistan shall respond at the time and place of its choosing”.

The National Security Council “strongly rejected (the) Indian claim of targeting an alleged terrorist camp near Balakot and the claim of heavy casualties”, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told a Press conference in Islamabad. —

India risks putting regional peace and stability at grave risk

Imran Khan, Pakistan PM