Islamabad (Staff Report/Agencies): Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that Pakistan will respond to Indian aggression at time and place of its choosing.
After a special meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) convened by Prime Minister Imran Khan in the wake of the Indian Air Force's (IAF) violation of the Line of Control (LoC), Qureshi along with Finance Minister Asad Umar and Defence Minister Pervez Khattak addressed a press conference.
Qureshi started the press conference by reading out the NSC statement in which Pakistan said it would respond to Indian aggression at time and place of its choosing.
The foreign minister announced that "a three-member committed has been formed, including me, finance minister and defence minister to approach the parliament, and so that the people of Pakistan can be taken into confidence on the evolving situation."
The foreign minister informed that Prime Minister Imran Khan has summoned a special meeting of the National Command Authority (NCA) — which oversees the operational command and control of the country’s nuclear arsenals — on Wednesday (tomorrow).
The committee also “strongly rejected Indian claim of targeting an alleged terrorist camp near Balakot as well as the claim of heavy casualties”.
“Once again Indian government has resorted to a self-serving, reckless and fictitious claim,” the statement said. “This action has been done for domestic consumption being in election environment, putting regional peace and stability at grave risk.
An Indian aircraft on Tuesday violated the Line of Control (LoC) separating the Indian and Pakistani controlled parts of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region but soon returned back to India after a response from the Pakistani Air Force.
The NSC meeting was attended by the top civil and military leadership, including Army Chief General Qamar Jawed Bajwa and ministers of defence and foreign affairs.