India lodges protest with Pak as Drone spotted over an Indian High Commission mission in Islamabad
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Jul 3, 2021, 09:51 am IST
New Delhi: Pak has denied when the Indian Commission complained.
Amid drone attack probe in Jammu and Kashmir, India on Friday, July 2 alleged that a drone was “spotted on June 26 over the Indian High Commission in Islamabad” and urged Islamabad to investigate the incident.
MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi also urged Pakistan “to take credible, verifiable and irreversible action against terrorist networks and proxies operating from territories under its control.”
Answering questions, he said: “A drone was spotted on June 26 over the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
This has been taken up officially with the Government of Pakistan. We expect Pakistan to investigate the incident and prevent recurrence of such breach of security.”
At the weekly media briefing, the MEA spokesperson said, “As far as terrorism and terror financing is concerned, we have a zero-tolerance policy. We condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. All countries must take credible action against terrorism including by putting an end to cross-border movement of terrorists, terrorist safe havens and infrastructure and their financing channels.”
He underlined, “… we call upon Pakistan to take credible, verifiable and irreversible action against terrorist networks and proxies operating from territories under its control and to bring the perpetrators of terrorist attacks including 26/11 Mumbai and Pathankot to justice”.
It may be mentioned, the drone activity over Indian High Commission in Islamabad occurred hours before the twin blasts took place at Jammu Airbase, which was carried out with the help of drones.
On the intervening night of June 26 and 27, two blasts took place within a gap of 5 minutes inflicting minor injuries on two Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel.
The probe so far has called the attacks ‘a well-planned conspiracy to target national aerial assets.
NIA has taken over the probe.
Pakistan has, of course, denied the charge.
Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said: “We have seen the Indian MEA’s statement and reports in certain sections of the Indian media alleging a drone flying over the premises of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. These preposterous claims have no basis in facts and no proof whatsoever has been shared with Pakistan to substantiate these allegations.”
At the media briefing in Delhi on certain media reports about the Indian side reaching out to the Taliban in Afghanistan, MEA spokesman Mr. Bagchi said: “We have seen some media reports based on a tweet by some journalists. Since you have raised the issue, let me categorically deny claims that Minister Dr. S Jaishankar met any Taliban leader. “Such stories are false and mischievous.”
He further said: “You would have seen the detailed statement by the External Affairs Minister on June 22 at the UN Security Council, where he spoke extensively about various issues, including India’s support for a durable peace driven by an inclusive, Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled peace process.”
India supports all peace initiatives, and has been engaged with various stakeholders, he said adding, “As regards the security situation in Afghanistan, we are obviously concerned by the increased violence there, based on which we have issued a security advisory for Indian nationals in Afghanistan.”
On border talks China
MEA spokesperson said, “As you are aware, the 22nd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was held on June 25, 2021. Both sides agreed to maintain dialogue and communication through the diplomatic and military mechanisms to reach a mutually acceptable solution for complete disengagement from all friction points to ensure full restoration of peace and tranquillity to enable progress in the bilateral relations.”
Both parties also agreed that they will continue to maintain ground stability and avoid any unwanted incidents. The two sides also agreed to hold the next (12th) round of the Senior Commanders meeting at an early date, the spokesperson said.
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