Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday claimed that India is planning to launch a surgical strike on the country "to divert attention from its internal affairs", reported The Dawn. Qureshi added that he has credible information from their intelligence forces about this "important development". Qureshi was speaking at a press conference in Abu Dhabi after his talks with the UAE leadership.
"An important development has cropped up [...] I've learned through our intelligence forces [...] that India is planning a surgical strike against Pakistan," Qureshi was quoted as saying.
The Pakistani Foreign Minister alleged that India is "trying to seek tacit approval" for the surgical strike from "important players who they consider to be their partners".
Qureshi further said that India is facing "serious internal issues" at the moment, including the ongoing farmers' protest, "mishandling" of the coronavirus pandemic, "increasingly uncomfortable" situation of Dalits, Sikhs and Muslims and the economy.
Meanwhile, he asserted that Pakistan "is fully prepared to respond to and defeat India's designs". "We will do it […] as we did respond immediately and effectively in February 2019," he added.
In Abu Dhabi, Qureshi met Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, during which they discussed a range of issues of mutual interest, the Foreign Office in Islamabad said in a statement.
Qureshi exchanged views with Sheikh Mohammed, who is also ruler of Dubai, on a range of issues of mutual interest and discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation, possibilities of enhancing bilateral trade relations and promoting investment, in particular in the field of agriculture, the statement said.
"The Foreign Minister also discussed matters pertaining to the welfare of Pakistani diaspora in the UAE," it added.
(With IANS inputs)
