Malicious misinformation campaign: Centre shreds Pak's tissue of lies claiming 'destruction' of Indian air bases

New Delhi, May 10 (IANS) The Centre on Saturday strongly rejected Pakistan's claims about the destruction of key Indian military installations, terming them as part of a "malicious misinformation campaign."

Backing its rebuttal with visual evidence, India showcased current images -- with clear date and time stamps -- of the runways at the Suratgarh and Sirsa Air Force Stations, which Pakistan had falsely claimed were destroyed.

At a Press briefing on 'Operation Sindoor', Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, accompanied by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, said, "Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims being propagated on social media regarding the destruction of the Indian S-400 system at Adampur, the destruction of airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa, the BrahMos base at Nagrota, RT gun positions at Dehrangari, and the forward ammunition depot at Chandigarh, along with allegations of heavy damage to other military stations."

"India unequivocally rejects these false narratives being spread by Pakistan," she asserted.

"As you've seen, Pakistani claims about activities that they have undertaken continue to be heavy on lies, misinformation, and propaganda. And on top of that, this is peddled by the Pakistani state agencies.

"The claims that they have made about attacking and destroying various places, various military installations and facilities, as has been pointed out by my colleagues here this morning, are completely false.

The claim about the air force station in Sirsa being destroyed is completely false. The claim about the air force station in Suratgarh being destroyed is completely false again, as you have seen," Misri added.

"There's a claim that has been made that the S-400 base at Adampur was destroyed, which is completely false, once again. Claims have been made about large sections of Indian critical infrastructure, power systems, cyber systems, etc., being attacked and destroyed, that are completely false. I would urge all of you, and all those who watch this, not to be misled by this tissue of lies that is being peddled by the Pakistani state for obvious purposes," he added.

India also condemned Pakistan's strikes on civilian infrastructure, particularly at the Srinagar, Avantipur, and Udhampur air bases.

"Pakistan has continued its provocations, targeting the civilian and military infrastructures at medicare centres and school premises located at air bases," said Wing Commander Singh.

According to the Indian Air Force, Pakistan attempted harassment attacks and air intrusions across more than 26 locations stretching from Srinagar to Nalia.

"Indian armed forces successfully neutralised these threats and the majority of the vectors. However, limited damage was sustained to equipment and personnel at Indian Air Force stations in Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, and Bhuj," she said.

"There were also several high-speed missile attacks noticed subsequently after 01:40 hours in the night at several air bases in Punjab," she added.

Terming the targeting of civil infrastructure as a "deplorable cowardly act," Wing Commander Singh emphasised, "Pakistan attacked the Medicare centre and school premises at the air bases of Srinagar, Avantipur and Udhampur, once again displaying irresponsible targeting of our civil infrastructure."

India responded with precision strikes aimed solely at Pakistan's military infrastructure.

"In a swift and calibrated response, Indian armed forces carried out precision attacks only on identified military targets. These included technical infrastructure, command and control centres, radar sites and weapon storage areas," she stated.

--IANS

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