By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday dismissed Indian media reports alleging it had used nuclear-capable Shaheen missiles in recent clashes, labeling the claims “unfounded” and accusing New Delhi of spreading disinformation to mask its own military shortcomings.
The rebuttal follows a surge in tensions between the two nuclear-armed rivals, triggered by an attack last month in in Pahalgam, a town in Indian-occupied Kashmir that killed 26 people. India blamed Pakistan for the assault, though without evidence, while Islamabad denied involvement and urged an independent probe.
A tense escalation began on May 6 when Indian air strikes hit civilian targets in Pakistan’s Punjab province and Azad Kashmir. Pakistan retaliated, downing six Indian jets, intercepting drones, and striking Indian airbases. The tit-for-tat ended only after US intervention on May 10 secured a ceasefire.
Indian outlets, including NDTV, reported on Sunday that Pakistan had fired a Shaheen missile, a ballistic weapon capable of carrying nuclear warhead, —during the skirmishes, citing army sources and a purported video.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson, Shafqat Ali Khan, rejected the assertion, saying the Indian army later withdrew the “misleading video” from its official Twitter handle after acknowledging its claims lacked substance.
Khan said the Indian Army’s official handle, however, stayed mum, offering no clarification or retraction of the erroneous post
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has firmly rejected the unfounded allegations circulating in certain segments of the Indian media, which falsely claim that Pakistan employed the Shaheen missile during Operation Bunyanum Marsoos,” Khan said in a statement. “Regrettably, some Indian outlets continue to propagate this misinformation.”
The foreign office said New Delhi is using such reports to deflect attention from its own struggles in Kashmir, including a faltering military Operation Sindoor.
“Such disinformation campaigns are part of a deliberate attempt to obscure India’s setbacks in Operation Sindoor, which were a result of Pakistan’s demonstrated conventional military capabilities,” the statement said. “Additionally, these fabricated stories align with New Delhi’s ongoing efforts to promote a misleading narrative regarding the ceasefire and baseless allegations of so-called “nuclear blackmail” by Pakistan.”
The statement said the range of weapons used by Pakistan is detailed in a press release issued by the military on May 12. @The Pakistan Armed Forces employed precision-guided, long-range Fatah series missiles—F1 and F2—as well as advanced munitions, highly capable long-range loitering killer drones, and precision long-range artillery. The military sites in India and in occupied Kashmir targeted by these assets are also listed in the ISPR press release.”
The Foreign Office warned that such “inflammatory content” threatens regional stability and erodes trust in official institutions. “Disseminating unverified and inflammatory content not only undermines regional stability but also reflects poorly on the professionalism of official institutions.”
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