India Ready to Respond to Any Pakistan's Provocations in Kashmir - Foreign Ministry Source

NEW DELHI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th April, 2019) India is ready to "respond firmly and decisively" to any provocations by Pakistan in the disputed region of Kashmir, a source in the Indian Foreign Ministry told Sputnik on Monday, rejecting recent allegations by Pakistan of India planning an attack against its neighbor.

On Sunday, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that Islamabad possessed reliable intelligence data that India was planning an attack against Pakistan between April 16 and 20. He, however, did not reveal any other details.

"India reserves the right to respond firmly and decisively to any new provocation in the border region [Kashmir] ... The only objective [of such statements is] whipping up hysteria in the region. This public gimmick is a call to Pakistan-based terrorists group to undertake a new terror attack in India," the source said.

The source suggested that Pakistan should take credible steps in fighting terrorist groups operating in Islamabad-territories instead of "making hysterical statements to obfuscate the key problem of our region � cross-border terrorism."

Relations between India and Pakistan have taken a turn for the worst earlier this year. Tensions soared after a deadly attack in Kashmir on February 14, when a suicide bomber attacked an Indian security convoy, killing over 40 personnel. The attack was later claimed by Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed. The tragedy led to heightened tensions between the two South Asian neighbors and air raids exchange.

India has repeatedly accused Pakistan of supporting the militants and having a "direct hand" in the Kashmir incident. Pakistan, however, has rejected all allegations.