Pak boat row: Navy says Coast Guard had kept it in loop

It has also refuted reports that it did not react to the intelligence provided by NTRO.

 

"Indian Navy (IN) denies reports in some sections of the media saying that it (IN) had not reacted to the intelligence provided by NTRO. It is clarified that the Indian Navy (IN) and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) have responded appropriately to the situation as per the standard operating procedures (SOPs)," a statement by the Ministry of Defence claimed.

 

"Indian Navy (IN) as the nodal agency for the overall maritime security of the nation was kept in the information loop throughout," the statement said.

 

Meanwhile, Pakistan on Tuesday rejected India allegations regarding  "terror boat" and said continuous unprovoked firing and targeting of civilians by India was an attempt by the Asian nation to distract their mission to eradicate terrorism from the country.

 

Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Tasneem Aslam said in a statement: "In response to a question regarding the comment by the Spokesperson of Indian External Affairs, the Spokesperson said that Pakistan is opposed to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and has been the biggest victim of terrorism. The people and Government of Pakistan are determined to eradicate this menace from our territory. The brave armed forces of Pakistan are successfully conducting a comprehensive and across the board operation - Zarb-e-Azb to root out terrorism."

 

" On the other hand, the People of Pakistan see the escalation of tension by India on the Line of Control and Working Boundary, through continuous unprovoked firing and targeting of civilians, as an attempt to distract our armed forces from its valiant mission against all terrorists. The baseless and preposterous Indian allegations regarding the so called “terror boat” from Pakistan are also in the same vein," read the statement.

 

India and Pakistan are currently engaged in diplomatic tussle over a mysterious boat from Pakistan being blown up off  Porbandar  coast on New Year's eve after it was challenged and chased by Indian coast guards.

 

India says the boat had sailed from Karachi on a mission for some 'illicit transaction' and it was to destroy the evidence that the vessel's four crew members blew it off. Pakistan, however, denies the presence of any of its fishing boats near the maritime area that day.

 

"The Indian Spokesperson also made equally baseless and malicious allegations regarding the ‘citings’ of Punjabi/Urdu speaking terrorist elements in Afghanistan. India is reminded to refrain from attempts to create misunderstanding between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the two brotherly nations bound by common destiny, shared culture, history and religion. These efforts are also in violation of all international norms," read the statement.