Pak Claims Pulwama Attack Was Planned By BJP Govt To Win Elections, Cites Arnab Goswami's Leaked WhatsApp Chats

While the Indian Government remains mum, Republic Media Network has rejected allegations made by the Pakistan Government related to the 2019 Pulwama Attack and the consequent Balakot airstrikes. Pakistan on Sunday, January 17, said that the February 2019 Pulwama attack were "false flag operations" staged by India's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government to tarnish its neighbour's image as well as for political gains.

On 14 February 2019, a convoy of vehicles carrying security personnel on the Jammu Srinagar National Highway was attacked by a vehicle-borne suicide bomber in the Pulwama district, Jammu and Kashmir. The attack led to the death of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. In response to the attack, India had undertaken airstrikes against the terror group's camps in Pakistan's Balakot.

Pakistan on Sunday cited the alleged leaked WhatsApp chats of Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami which claimed he knew about the airstrikes, three days in prior. Goswami had told Broadcast Audience Research Council's former Chief Executive Officer Partho Dasgupta that it would be "bigger than a normal strike".

"The recent transcripts revelations in India further vindicate our consistent position that RSS-BJP [Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-Bharatiya Janata Party] government stages 'false flag' operations; maligns Pakistan with terrorism-related allegations; stokes hyper-nationalism in its bid to win elections," Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement.

Calling the BJP government a "Hindutva regime", the spokesperson said that the WhatsApp chats point at the "unholy nexus" between the dispensation and its "cronies" in Indian media. "Such actions by the reckless regime driven by considerations of domestic politics are gravely imperilling regional peace and security," the statement said.

"Pakistan will continue to counter India's falsehoods with truth and act firmly and responsibly in the face of India's provocations", it said.

The foreign office also alerted the global community to take note of the matter and hold India responsible for vitiating the regional environment and endangering peace and security in South Asia.

Republic Media Network Calls It 'Desperation'

While the scathing allegations made by the Pakistan government received no response from the Indian government, Republic Media Network was quick to release a statement dismissing all accusations made by the neighbouring country and praising its Editor-In-Chief.

"Arnab Goswami, Editor-in-Chief of the Republic Media Network has over a decade and a half, as India's leading Television journalist exposed, every sinister design, and evil intention of the Government of Pakistan and the ISI," the statement read.

The statement also mentioned that "Goswami personally, and the Republic Media network was the first to expose Pakistan, after the Pulwama attack. Mr. Goswami and the Republic Media Network through investigative reports, sting operations, hard-hitting, and factual exposes brought before the entire world the reality of Pakistan's sponsorship, support, and patronage to terrorist groups."

"The Republic Media Network had also produced proof of the Balakot strike on 6 March 2019 which had deeply embarrassed the Pakistan state machinery and its intelligence apparatus. The statement of the Government of Pakistan against India's leading news network -- the Republic Media Network is proof of the deep-conspiracy of anti-India and anti-national forces against Republic Media Network and its Editor-in-Chief Mr. Arnab Goswami," it added.

Also Read: "This Attack We Won Like Crazy," Arnab Goswami Allegedly Said On Day Of Pulwama Attack