Pakistan rejects India's 'preposterous' terror boat allegations

Published January 6, 2015
Foreign Office spokesperson Tasneem - AFP File
Foreign Office spokesperson Tasneem - AFP File

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday strongly rejected Indian allegations of the so-called “terror boat” and termed reports alleging that the Pakistani boat was on a terror mission "baseless and preposterous".

"Pakistan is opposed to terrorism in all forms and manifestation and has been the biggest victim of terrorism," Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Tasneem Aslam said in a statement.

"The people and government of Pakistan are determined to eradicate this menace from our territory," Aslam added.

A suspected Pakistani boat claimed by India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party to be on a terror mission exploded in the Arabian Sea on New Year’s eve following a chase, but the Indian Express reported on Friday that the vessel seemed to be on a routine smuggling trip when it was intercepted.

Aslam today also rejected comments of the spokesperson of Indian External Affairs.

Rejecting the "smugglers at sea" theory, the Indian government on Monday claimed that the Pakistani boat which sank in the Arabian Sea after being intercepted by the Indian Coast Guard had "suspected terror links", a report published on The Times of India said.

Read: 'Evidence shows Pak boat had suspected terror links'

Aslam said, "The brave armed forces of Pakistan are successfully conducting a comprehensive and across the board operation Zarb-e-Azb to root out terrorism."

She said Pakistan sees the escalation of tension by India on the Line of Control and Working Boundary — through continuous unprovoked firing and targeting of civilians — as an attempt to distract our armed forces from its valiant mission against all terrorists.

Aslam said allegations of the Indian government regarding the ‘citing’ of Punjabi/Urdu-speaking terrorist elements in Afghanistan as "baseless and malicious".

"India is reminded to refrain from attempts to create misunderstanding between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the two brotherly nations bound by common destiny, shared culture, history and religion. These efforts are also in violation of all international norms," the FO spokesperson said.

Opinion

Budgeting without people

Budgeting without people

Even though the economy is a critical issue, discussions about it involve a select few who are not really interested in communicating with the people.

Editorial

Iranian tragedy
Updated 21 May, 2024

Iranian tragedy

Due to Iran’s regional and geopolitical influence, the world will be watching the power transition carefully.
Circular debt woes
21 May, 2024

Circular debt woes

THE alleged corruption and ineptitude of the country’s power bureaucracy is proving very costly. New official data...
Reproductive health
21 May, 2024

Reproductive health

IT is naïve to imagine that reproductive healthcare counts in Pakistan, where women from low-income groups and ...
Wheat price crash
Updated 20 May, 2024

Wheat price crash

What the government has done to Punjab’s smallholder wheat growers by staying out of the market amid crashing prices is deplorable.
Afghan corruption
20 May, 2024

Afghan corruption

AMONGST the reasons that the Afghan Taliban marched into Kabul in August 2021 without any resistance to speak of ...
Volleyball triumph
20 May, 2024

Volleyball triumph

IN the last week, while Pakistan’s cricket team savoured a come-from-behind T20 series victory against Ireland,...