India planning 'military action' against Pakistan this month, discloses foreign minister

In the run-up to India's elections this week, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi made a startling revelation on Sunday that Delhi was planning more military action against Pakistan in the third week of April and called on the international community to reprimand India for its irresponsible conduct.

The foreign minister, while addressing a press conference in Multan, announced that the government has "reliable intelligence that India is devising a new plan".

Take a look: How Pakistan, India pulled back from brink of war

"Preparations are being made, and there are chances of another attack against Pakistan. According to our information, the action could be taken between April 16-20," he added.

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"A new mishap could be staged in Indian-occupied Kashmir, just like [the] Pulwama [attack]. And its purpose will be to justify their [India's] offensive against Pakistan and to increase diplomatic pressure against Islamabad," he explained. "If it happens, you can imagine the impact of the occurrence on the peace and stability of the region."

He said that Pakistan has already briefed the United Nations Security Council's P5 [permanent five member countries] over the issue and stated Pakistan's apprehensions.

"We want the international community to take notice of this irresponsible behaviour and reprimand them [India] for taking this route," he said.

Qureshi also criticised the global community for remaining silent over Indian aggression against Pakistan on Feb 26. He said that international powers did not reprimand India despite blatant violation of international laws on the part of India due to geopolitics.

"The international community, given the sensitivity of this flashpoint, should not remain silent," he stated, adding that the global community should and would have to play their role in this regard.

Last week, the Indian government faced embarrassment when a Foreign Policy magazine report citing senior US defence officials stated that none of Pakistan's F-16 jets had been shot down by the Indian Air Force ─ contrary to India's claims ─ on Feb 27, when tensions between both countries had spiked in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack.

On February 14, at least 40 Indian security personnel were killed in a suicide attack targeting a military convey in Indian-occupied Kashmir. Although the attack was initially claimed by a Kashmiri youth, the Jaish-e-Mohammad later took responsibility for it.

On February 26, Indian warplanes violated Pakistani airspace and allegedly struck what New Delhi claimed was a JeM training camp, a claim rejected by Pakistan and never proved by India.

The next day, Pakistani jets fired at various targets from across the Line of Control. As the Indian Air Force engaged the Pakistani jets, the PAF shot down two Indian warplanes ─ one of which crashed in Azad Jammu and Kashmir ─ and captured an Indian pilot. Wing Commander Abhinandan. The pilot was released on March 1 as a gesture of peace by the Pakistani government.