'Coffins Draped In Pakistani Flags...': India Questions Claim Of 'Civilian Deaths'
India on Thursday responded to the Pakistani claim that the military strike on Wednesday killed civilians in the Pakistani territory.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, during a press briefing, said that only terrorist infrastructure were targeted during the attack and killed terrorists on the intervening night of May 6 and 7.
Misri also hit out at the Pakistani claim of civilians being killed by questioning why did the Pakistani government give state funerals to the terrorists.
"All attacks on the morning of May 7 were against carefully selected terrorist infrastructure and terrorist targets. It's not clear to us in fact seeing some of the coverage of the after effects of these strikes, including the funerals for the terrorists that were held yesterday. If any civilians were killed in these attacks, I wonder what message this picture exactly sends to all of you," Vikram Misri said during the briefing.
The Foreign Secretary also hit out at the Pakistani government questioning why the coffins of the terrorists killed during India's aerial strikes were being draped in Pakistani flags.
He further said that giving state funerals to terrorists may be a practice in Pakistan, but it doesn't makes sense to India.
"It's also odd that funerals of civilians are being carried out with coffins being draped in their national flag and state honours are being accorded. The individuals eliminated at these facilities were terrorists. Giving state funerals to terrorists may be a practice in Pakistan, but it doesn't seem to make much sense to us," he said.
Misri also attacked Pakistan for cross border firings which targeted the Sikh community in Jammu and Kashmir. He added that 16 civilians were killed and several others injured in the Pakistani firing along the Line of Control.
"Pakistan launched a targeted attack on the Sikh community of J&K- hitting a gurdwara in Poonch and hitting the Sikh community members, who came under attack. Three individuals were killed in the attacks... A total of 16 civilians have been killed in Poonch and several others have been injured," he added.
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