ISLAMABAD, Jan 28: The official spokesman on Monday described as “ridiculous and funny” the claim by Indian authorities in New Delhi that they had gunned down two Pakistanis suspected of involvement in the Kolkata shootout incident of Jan 22.

He was commenting on a foreign news agency report in which Indian Home Secretary Kamal Pande was stated to have said that the suspects were killed in an early morning raid on a “terrorist hideout” in the state of Jhakhand.

In the incident, one alleged suspect is stated to have been instantly killed while the other is said to have confessed to his involvement in the American Center shootout before his death.

“It’s a joke, it’s a mockery,” Syed Anwar Mahmood told APP, advising the Indians to cast off their cynicism and stop seeing ISI and Pakistan behind everything that happens or does not happen in India.

“Outlandish claims could satisfy preconceived designs of someone, but nobody with wisdom is prepared to believe in them,” he stated.

“The whole thing smacks of a melodrama of the first order, a cooked-up matter,” he added.

About the Kolkata incident, he said in the first reaction the Indian Home Minister L.K. Advani blamed ISI. Then three Indian nationals were held responsible. This was followed by the detaining of five Bangladeshis. But then, quickly changing the position, the Indian law enforcement agencies have come out with this claim that the suspects were Pakistanis, and they were killed in an encounter.

Even on Monday, the initial reports were that two arrests were made. Then it was said that one of the two suspects had been injured. Now they say that one had died and the other made a confession before death.

“The entire drama borders on absurdity,” Syed Anwar Mahmood said.

“Rather than to continue blaming ISI and Pakistan for all acts of terrorism, it is about time the Indian leadership looked inwards for answers and clues,” the official spokesman added.

He said over a dozen insurgencies and movements are going on in various parts of India, and instead of facing the facts, the Indians find it easy to blame Pakistan.

The official spokesman said there seemed to be some inherent weaknesses in the system of Indian security agencies, “and the only ready excuse they find is to blame Pakistan for all their troubles.”—APP