Pakistan PM Imran Khan accuses India of war "hysteria"

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has accused India of “whipping up war hysteria” over February’s tense stand-off between the two countries.

In a tweet on Saturday, Khan blamed Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claims that India shot down a Pakistani F-16 during a standoff.

“The truth always prevails and is always the best policy," Khan said in a Tweet. "BJP's attempt to win elections through whipping up war hysteria and false claims of downing a Pak F 16 has backfired with US Defence officials also confirming that no F16 was missing from Pakistan's fleet.”

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after a February suicide attack that killed at least forty Indian policemen.

India then said it hit a training camp for an armed group who claimed responsibility for the attack. Pakistan dismissed the attack as a failure.

The nuclear-armed neighbours then engaged in an aerial battle over the disputed region of Kashmir a day after Indian jets crossed over into Pakistan to attack a suspected camp of anti-India militants.

An Indian jet was brought down during the fight and its pilot captured when he ejected on the Pakistani side of the border. He was later released.

India said it too had shot down a Pakistani aircraft and the air force displayed pieces of a missile that it said had been fired by a Pakistani F-16 before it went down.

India Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had said that India had taught Pakistan a lesson, is campaigning ahead of elections next week.

The BJP is campaigning on a platform of tough national security, especially with regard to arch foe Pakistan. New Delhi blames Pakistan for stoking a 30-year revolt in Muslim-majority Kashmir but Islamabad denies any involvement.



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