ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign minister on Friday accused neighboring India of planning a “surgical strike” against his Islamic nation, the latest in a war of words between the two nuclear-armed rivals.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi spoke during a televised news conference in the United Arab Emirates where he is currently on a two-day visit for talks with senior UAE government officials.
He did not offer evidence to support his claim but cited “credible intelligence” about the alleged plot. He added that Pakistan was fully prepared to respond to any such attack from India, which he said could endanger peace in the region.
There was no immediate comment from New Delhi. Pakistan and India have a history of bitter relations and often trade accusations. They have fought three wars since gaining independence from Britain, two of them over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, which is divided between them and claimed by both in its entirety.
Qureshi said an Indian strike could disrupt the ongoing Afghan peace process, which is being facilitated by Pakistan. The Taliban, over whom Pakistan yields considerable influence, and Afghanistan’s government representatives have been holding negotiations since September in Qatar to try and hammer out a peace deal that would end the war.
A Taliban team arrived in Islamabad this week for talks with Pakistani government leaders amid growing calls for a reduction in violence in neighboring Afghanistan. The Taliban delegation met with Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday. According to a government statement, Khan expressed his concern during the meeting over the high level of violence in Afghanistan and called on all sides to reduce violence levels and work toward a cease-fire.
Echoing Qureshi’s concerns, Khan’s adviser on national security, Moeed Yusuf, later Friday tweeted that the “world must prevent India from destabilizing the region in its attempt to divert attention from its domestic trouble.”
Foreign ministry spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said Pakistan learned “from credible sources that India is planning to undertake a military misadventure” in Kashmir and pledged that the Pakistani military was “fully prepared to defeat Indian designs.” Islamabad has informed the international community about the intelligence, Chaudri said.
Also Friday, Pakistan’s military said Indian troops targeted a vehicle with two UN observers who escaped unharmed. A military statement said the attack was deliberate as UN vehicles are clearly marked and “recognizable even from long distances.”
UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq only confirmed that the vehicle, carrying personnel from the observers’ mission and their driver was “impacted by an unidentified object while conducting routine monitoring activities.” No one was harmed and the incident is being investigated, Haq said.
A top Indian army officer, speaking on condition of anonymity under regulations, denied the Pakistani accusation. Indian army spokesman Lt. Col. Devender Anand in turn accused Pakistani soldiers of violating the cease-fire in two incidents on Friday along the Line of Control separating Azad Kashmir and Indian-administered Kashmir.
There were no immediate reports of casualties in Kashmir.
Pakistan warns India planning ‘surgical strike’ against it
https://arab.news/87yue
Pakistan warns India planning ‘surgical strike’ against it
- Pakistan FM Shah Mahmood Qureshi made the statement during a televised news conference in the UAE
- Pakistani military “fully prepared to defeat Indian designs," adds foreign ministry spokesman
India favorites as T20 World Cup to begin after Pakistan, Bangladesh controversies
- Bangladesh were replaced by the ICC in this World Cup and Pakistan has refused to face India in group stage clash
- The top two teams from each of the four groups of five teams will advance to the Super Eight stage of the World Cup
NEW DELHI: Cricket’s T20 World Cup begins Saturday after an acrimonious buildup overshadowed by political turmoil, with Bangladesh kicked out and Pakistan refusing to face arch-rivals and co-hosts India.
When the first ball is finally bowled after a chaotic lead-in, Pakistan will open the tournament against the Netherlands in Colombo.
Defending champions and tournament favorites India will make their tournament bow in the night match on day one against the United States in Mumbai, carrying the hopes of a billion-plus home cricket supporters.
Led by Suryakumar Yadav, India will start as firm tournament favorites and are expected to ease into the Super Eight stage from Group A.
But they will be wary of the United States, who are looking to take down another cricketing powerhouse, having shocked Pakistan to make the Super Eights in 2024.
Former champions Australia and England are also strong contenders to lift the trophy and deny holders India the title for a record second straight time.
The 2021 winners Australia have been hit hard by the absence of pace spearhead Pat Cummins, who was ruled out with a lower back injury.
Pace bowler Josh Hazlewood will miss the early stages as he recovers from hamstring and Achilles injuries.
Led by Mitchell Marsh, the Australians should still ease into the next round from Group B against Ireland, who they play first on Wednesday, plus co-hosts Sri Lanka Oman and Zimbabwe.
Harry Brook’s England, full of confidence after a 3-0 T20 series win in Sri Lanka this week, are expected to make the Super Eights from a Group C that also features two-time winners West Indies, debutants Italy, Nepal and Scotland.
Brook, under intense scrutiny after having to apologize for an incident with a night club bouncer in New Zealand last year, takes charge at a global tournament for the first time since he replaced Jos Buttler as white ball captain.
England, who start with a match against Nepal on Sunday in Mumbai, won the tournament in 2010 and 2022.
Scotland, after their 11th-hour call-up to replace Bangladesh, will take guard on the opening day when they face the West Indies in Kolkata.
Football powerhouse Italy will make an appearance at a cricket World Cup for the first time, and will kick off against the Scots in Kolkata on Monday.
South Africa, the runners-up in 2024, have never won a white ball World Cup, but are buoyed by winning the World Test Championship last year.
They will be a threat but must first emerge from a tough-looking Group D that contains dangerous opponents in New Zealand and Afghanistan.
They begin against Canada on Monday in Ahmedabad, with the UAE the other team in that group.
The top two teams from each of the four groups of five teams will advance to the Super Eights, with the top four making the semifinals.
POLITICS, PULLOUTS
There will be relief at the weekend when the action gets under way finally after weeks of political posturing that has dominated the build-up to 10th edition of the showpiece tournament.
Bangladesh refused to play in India, citing security concerns, as relations between the two countries soured and were kicked out by the International Cricket Council (ICC) from England’s Group C.
The ICC is led by Jay Shah, the former Indian cricket board secretary and son of the powerful Indian home minister Amit Shah.
Pakistan, who had backed Bangladesh’s plea to have their games moved to Sri Lanka, were cleared to play by the Islamabad government but they ordered the team not to play the marquee group clash against fierce rivals India on February 15.
According to media reports, the ICC is still waiting formal communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board on the boycott, leaving the door slightly ajar for a last-minute deal to get the game on.
If India are awarded a walkover, Pakistan will lose two points and take a big hit to their net run rate.
If any of their other three Group A games are lost to the weather then it could make it almost impossible for Pakistan to qualify.
Pakistan’s pullout will result in a loss of millions of dollars in revenue for broadcasters, and will be a huge letdown for fans on both sides.
The crisis was triggered last month when India’s cricket board ordered the IPL’s Kolkata Knight Riders to drop Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman, a move that deepened political strains between the neighbors.
The tournament will conclude with the final on March 8 in Ahmedabad or Colombo, depending on whether Pakistan go that far.
