New Delhi:
Pakistan on Tuesday rejected as “completely baseless” the Indian Army chief’s statement on the reactivation of a Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) terror camp in Balakot that was destroyed by the IAF in February. Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had earlier confirmed the reports that terrorist hide outs and camps destroyed by Indian Air Force strikes in Balakot have been re-activated by Pakistan. He said, about 500 terrorists are trying to infiltrate into India.
The Indian Army Chief’s statement on the reactivation of terror camp in Balakot is “completely baseless”, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said in a statement. The allegation of “infiltration” from Pakistan reflects “a desperate attempt” of India to divert international attention from the “humanitarian crisis” in Jammu and Kashmir, it said, adding that New Delhi will not “succeed in misleading the world community through these diversionary tactics”.
Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to withdraw Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories, evoking strong reactions from Pakistan.
India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of Article 370 was an internal matter and also advised Pakistan to accept the reality.
Early this year, tensions flared up between India and Pakistan after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based JeM killed 40 CRPF personnel in Kashmir's Pulwama district.
Amid mounting outrage, the Indian Air Force carried out a counter-terror operation, hitting the biggest JeM training camp in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26.
