• Source:JND
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India's Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, on Thursday sharply criticised Pakistan's claim that civilians were killed during India's military actions in Pakistan. Misri's comments came after Pakistan alleged that Indian forces had targeted innocent civilians in recent strikes. Misri dismissed these claims, emphasising that those killed in these operations were terrorists, not civilians.

"It's also odd that funerals of civilians are being carried out with coffins wrapped 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," Misri said. His remarks came in response to Pakistan's portrayal of the individuals killed in the Indian operations as innocent civilians.

The Indian government has repeatedly called out Pakistan for its role in supporting terrorism, particularly across the border into India. Misri stated that Pakistan was trying to distance itself from its involvement in terrorism, referring to comments made by the Pakistani information minister, who claimed that there were no terrorists in Pakistan. Misri further pointed out that Pakistan's reputation as the "epicentre of global terrorism" is well-established, with concrete evidence pointing to its involvement in sponsoring terrorism not just in India, but globally.

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Pakistan's Ongoing Attacks On Indian Territory

Misri also highlighted Pakistan’s recent actions, particularly a targeted attack on the Sikh community in Jammu and Kashmir. The attack took place at a gurdwara in Poonch, resulting in the death of three individuals. "Yesterday, 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," Misri said.

Viral Video Shows State Funerals For Terrorists 

A viral video from Muridke, near Lahore, sparked controversy after it showed Pakistan Army personnel participating in funerals of individuals killed in Indian strikes on terror camps. The coffins, wrapped in the Pakistani flag, were carried by soldiers in a ceremony attended by police, civil officials, and members of the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD).

Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Hafiz Abdul Rauf led the funeral prayers for three men, Qari Abdul Malik, Khalid, and Mudassir, reportedly JuD operatives and mosque caretakers at a facility hit by the Indian military. The presence of state officials at the funeral contradicts Islamabad’s claim that the victims were civilians.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri slammed Pakistan’s narrative, saying, “Giving state funerals to terrorists may be a practice in Pakistan, but it doesn’t make much sense to us.” He reiterated that only terror infrastructure was targeted in Operation Sindoor.

India’s Measured Response To Terrorism

Misri reiterated that India's intent has never been to escalate the situation. He assured that India's response has been targeted and specific, focusing only on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan. "Our intention has not been to escalate matters and we are responding only to the original escalation, and only terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan has been hit," he stated.

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