Pakistan Renews Drone Charge, India Alleges "Disinformation Campaign"

Islamabad/New Delhi:  Pakistan’s Army on Monday released images and videos that it claimed proved that a drone shot down along the Line of Control earlier this month was operated by the Indian Army.

It claimed that the images were retrieved from the drone and indicate that it flew from an Indian post and entered Pakistani territory.

New Delhi has rubbished Islamabad’s assertion that the drone was launched by India for aerial surveillance, and has said that it is a Chinese-made device available off the shelf.

Pakistan’s claims were further weakened after China’s official media reported that the drone was “recognised in Beijing as the Chinese made DJI phantom 3,” which was not sold to any government.

Pakistan’s army, however, said in a statement that an image retrieved from the drone proves that after its purchase it was taken inside an office of M/S ASCOM, which is an Indian communication and Electronic Firm.

It said a pre-flight picture indicated the presence of an Indian soldier in the vicinity of the drone, though it only shows the legs of a person clad in military fatigues.

An image purportedly taken by the drone while in flight “shows an Indian flag”, said the statement, adding that the drone initially remained close to the LoC and “kept surveilling throughout facing towards Pakistani side of LoC, then crossed over LoC and pictured a Pakistani post”.

The Pakistan Army said there had been a “sudden spike both in terms of intensity, caliber escalation and airspace violations by India” along the LoC and international border.  



 



Reacting to the allegations, the Indian army said: “This disinformation campaign is part of Pakistan’s modus operandi. They’ve clearly taken their time making this. China has already made it clear that this drone was never sold to India.”