India has rejected claims that it has been planning a new attack as irresponsible and preposterous:
"India rejects the irresponsible and preposterous statement by the Foreign Minister of Pakistan with a clear objective of whipping up war hysteria in the region. This public gimmick appears to be a call to Pakistan-based terrorists to undertake a terror attack in India," the spokesperson of Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Shortly before that, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has claimed that he has “reliable intelligence that India is planning a new attack on Pakistan” which may take place between 16 and 20 April.
“I am saying it with responsibility and I have a responsible position, I know each word I say would make headlines in the international press”, Qureshi said.
READ MORE: India Warns Pakistan of Escalatory Retaliation in Direct Phone Call — Source
He added that New Delhi’s planned attack aims to “increase diplomatic pressure against Pakistan." India’s Foreign Ministry is yet to comment on the matter.
Meanwhile, the Indian Deputy High Commissioner has been summoned to the Pakistani Foreign Ministry which warned India against “any misadventure”.
Indian DHC was summoned for demarche in line with FM’s briefing of today & Warned against any misadventure
— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@DrMFaisal) 7 апреля 2019 г.
This followed Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s statement that India’s governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is attempting "to win elections through whipping up war hysteria and false claims of downing a Pakistani F-16 [fighter jet] has backfired with US Defence officials also confirming that no F-16 was missing from Pakistan's fleet”.
The air battle involving the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) took place on 27 February, but some of the details remain unclear as the two sides gave conflicting reports on the matter.
READ MORE: No Terror Camps Found in Pakistan at Locations Pointed by India — Islamabad
Islamabad claimed that it downed two IAF MiG-21 planes in response to the February 26 Indian air raid on an alleged terrorist camp on Pakistani territory and arrested their pilots. One of them was released as a “peace gesture” several days later.
The IAF strike came after a suicide car bombing by Pakistan-based militants in Indian-controlled Kashmir killed at least 40 Indian paramilitary police on 14 February.
READ MORE: Pakistan Seeks More Evidence from India to Act Against Kashmir Terror Attackers
The 27 February air battle led to an escalation of New Delhi-Islamabad tensions, resulting in multiple cross-border exchanges of fire and several Pakistani drones allegedly violating Indian airspace. New Delhi claims to have downed a number of these drones.
