Pakistan Renews Drone Charge, India Alleges ’Disinformation Campaign’

Mangalore Today News Network

Islamabad/New Delhi, July 28, 2015:  Pakistan’s Army on Monday released images and videos that it claimed prove 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 allegation that the drone was launched by India for aerial surveillance; it says that it is a Chinese-made quadcopter 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.

Countering these assertions, Pakistan’s army said in its 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 craft 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 also alleged that there had been a "sudden spike both in terms of intensity, caliber escalation and airspace violations by India" along the LoC and the 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."

 

Courtesy: ndtv