ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that India is trying to find excuses for carrying out "false flag operation" in Pakistan, and warned that Pakistan will fully respond to any misadventure.
In a statement on Wednesday, the foreign minister rejected the baseless Indian allegations against the country's diplomatic staff in New Delhi to have been involved in "acts of espionage", adding that India's behaviour with Pakistani diplomats was a clear violation of the Vienna Convention.
"India is trying to find excuses for launching a false flag operation against Pakistan," he said, adding that Pakistan would not remain silent, and it would fully respond to any misadventure.
Referring to Indian government's decision of 50 percent reduction in diplomatic staff, Qureshi said that New Delhi had asked for reduction of staff of the Pakistan's High Commission, adding that the government of Pakistan had also responded, asking India to reduce its staff by 50 percent in its High Commission in Islamabad.
"If the staff of Pakistan's High Commission in New Delhi returns home, Indian staff will also go back," he said, adding that Pakistan would also be fully responding to the Indian allegations.
Qureshi said that India was facing internal challenges, and the latest decision comes as an attempt to divert attention of its public from the internal problems.
"There is no ambiguity to understand what India is trying to do," he said.
The foreign minister further said that by leveling baseless allegations against diplomatic staff of Pakistan's High Commission, India was trying to cover up its embarrassment at the hands of China.
He asserted that China's attitude had been appropriate in respect of peace and security in the region.
"India carried out construction work in the disputed territory with China; hence, China reacted," Qureshi said.
The foreign minister further stated that India had continued atrocities in occupied Jammu and Kashmir against the innocent Kashmiri people who were being killed every day.
He also stated that Saudi Arabia and Turkey had rejected India's illegal steps carried out in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Earlier on Tuesday, in a sign of escalating tensions, India asked Pakistan to cut the size of its diplomatic staff in India by 50 percent within seven days, accusing them of engaging in espionage.
The same day, Pakistan summoned India's chargé d'affaires in Islamabad and rejected the baseless allegations, and described the decision as against the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
Pakistan also announced that it would be cutting the size of its diplomatic staff in New Delhi, and also asked India to reduce its staff in Islamabad the same way.
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