ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday rejected claims by Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval that India had successfully hit all nine identified targets on May 7, calling the remarks “replete with distortions and misrepresentations”.

Foreign Office spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan, addressing a weekly press briefing, said Doval’s statements reflected “a deliberate attempt to mislead the public” and violated “the norms of responsible statecraft”.

“Boasting of military aggression against a sovereign nation is a grave breach of the United Nations Charter and established principles of international law,” Mr Khan said.

“Rather than resorting to fictitious narratives, India should accept the downing of six fighter jets and severe damages to other military targets.”

Mr Khan also said it was public knowledge that the so-called terrorist targets attacked by India resulted in the deaths of civilians.

To a question, Mr Khan said: “Indian involvement in sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan is very clear, and the international community is now becoming more aware of it.”

He added: “Initially, the Indian state-sponsored terrorism was targeting Pakistan, but we have seen that in the recent past, it has gone global. If this Indian malign approach is not checked, we have seen the consequences of that.”

Mr Khan accused India of orchestrating a global assassination campaign, targeting individuals in Canada, the United States, and other countries.

Responding to questions about declassified US documents that revealed the US spent billions of dollars in Afghanistan to defeat the Soviet Union, with facilitation by Pakistan, Mr Khan said: “What is in the past is in the past and we look at the past to guide us to a better future, rather than to become its prisoners.”

Mr Khan declined to comment on US President Donald Trump’s reported threat to bomb Beijing if China invaded Taiwan, saying he would not speculate.

However, he reiterated Pakistan’s close ties with China, describing the country as a “close friend” and “iron brother,” and emphasised strategic cooperation and relations.

“We historically have very strong relations with the US and we are keen to continue these relations,” Mr Khan said. He also expressed hope that a trade agreement with the US would be signed soon.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2025