India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has firmly rejected Pakistan’s claims of a “historic victory” following the recent ceasefire agreement between the two nations. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in a press briefing, ridiculed Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s boastful declaration, stating that claiming victory despite defeat has long been a pattern for Islamabad.

Jaiswal said, “Claiming victory is an old habit. They did the same in 1971, 1975, and during the 1999 Kargil War. ‘Dhol bajane ka Pakistan ka purana ravaiyya hai. Parast ho jaye lekin dhol bajao.’” His comments referred to Pakistan’s tendency to claim success even in the face of military setbacks, with Sharif’s recent statement being a textbook example.

The MEA spokesperson further noted that, behind Pakistan's celebratory tone, the reality was a quiet but urgent appeal for de-escalation from the Pakistani military. “All you have to do is look at who called whom to negotiate the terms of the cessation of firing,” he added, referencing Pakistan’s outreach after Indian retaliatory strikes under Operation Sindoor left multiple terror bases and air assets severely damaged.

Shehbaz Sharif’s declaration of victory has also sparked criticism within Pakistan, with many questioning the logic behind calling a forced ceasefire a diplomatic or military win.

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TRF Link To Pahalgam Attack

Addressing the Pahalgam terror attack, Jaiswal reiterated India’s evidence linking The Resistance Front (TRF), a known proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba, to the incident. He noted that TRF had initially claimed responsibility twice before withdrawing it, likely under pressure from handlers. “We are actively pursuing the listing of TRF under the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee,” he said.

Pakistan’s Misinformation Campaign

The Indian government has also flagged Pakistan’s increasing digital propaganda efforts. India said that after facing heavy military losses, Islamabad has turned to social media with false claims of drone and missile attacks on Indian cities. One video purporting a drone strike in Jalandhar turned out to be of a farm fire, while another claimed attack was actually footage from the 2020 Beirut explosion. Pakistan even alleged that India bombed its own territory using the Ambala Airbase, a claim widely debunked as baseless.

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