December 19, 2008	Friday	Zilhaj 20, 1429

NEW DELHI, Dec 18: India on Thursday dismissed as disinformation Pakistan’s protest that Indian planes had violated its airspace but said that Islamabad’s claim would be examined nevertheless and appropriately responded to.

“Today morning the Pakistani foreign office handed to our mission in Islamabad a Note Verbale alleging airspace violations by Indian aircraft five days ago. These same allegations were first reported in the Pakistani and international media for several days and are a part of Pakistani disinformation campaign,” India’s foreign ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash said.

“It had been made clear by (government of India) when we saw the reports that no violations of Pakistani airspace by Indian aircraft have taken place. This was also conveyed to the Pakistani side when the Pak DGMO raised it verbally with our DGMO on the evening of 16 December 2008, three days after the alleged violations.—J.N.