ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday rejected as “fake news” the reports in Indian media claiming transfer of foreign militants from Syria to India-held Kashmir for allegedly reinforcing the ranks of freedom fighters.

“Pakistan completely rejects concoctions based on ‘fake news’, in a section of the Indian media, alleging transfer of foreign fighters to Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK),” the Foreign Office said, adding such “fabrications” were part of Indian propaganda against indigenous freedom movement of the Kashmiris.

Indian media had while quoting the leader of a Turkish militant group, which has been fighting in Syria, claimed that militants are planned to be sent to occupied Kashmir. Turkish officers were claimed to be registering officers for this purpose from Azaz, Jarablus, Al-Bab, Afrin and Idlib.

“Such Indian ploys are doomed to fail again. By spreading such falsehoods, India can neither cast a shadow on the legitimate struggle of the Kashmiri people for freedom from illegal and inhuman Indian occupation nor can it escape censure by the international community for the gross and systematic violations of human rights being perpetrated by the Indian occupation forces in IIOJK,” FO said.

It moreover said that India’s “baseless allegations” only further illustrated the tactic of “virulent anti-Pakistan tirade” that RSS-BJP government has often employed.

“Instead of wasting more time in peddling falsehoods and fake news, India would be well-advised to comply with its international legal and moral obligations and let the Kashmiris exercise their inalienable right to self-determination as enshrined in international law and the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions,” the FO maintained.

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2020