ISLAMABAD, Sept 27: Pakistan on Friday rejected as a bunch of lies Indian accusations of its involvement in this week’s attack on a Hindu temple in Gujarat and demanded an impartial inquiry to unmask the real culprits.

“As far as we are concerned these are all a bunch of lies and baseless accusations,” foreign office spokesman Aziz Ahmed Khan told AFP.

“India always immediately accuses Pakistan without even bothering to hold preliminary inquiries into such incidents.”

Militants gunned down 31 people on Tuesday in a siege of the Akshardam Temple in Gujarat.

The gunmen were killed when Indian commandos stormed the temple. Indian leaders blamed the attack on militants fighting Indian rule in occupied Kashmir.

Aziz Ahmed Khan said: “It is also surprising that all those killed in such crimes are alleged to be Pakistanis and that they are never captured alive.”

He said Pakistan condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

Khan said threats of war would escalate tension in the region and called on New Delhi to seek a negotiated settlement of all outstanding issues between the two countries.

“India continues to issue threatening statements which only serve in heightening tension when what is required is reduction of tension and resolution of problems through dialogue,” he said.