DG ISPR Rejects Indian Claims In Press Briefing

ISLAMABAD: The military spokesperson on Thursday rejected Indian claims about the alleged killing of a Pakistani-linked militant in occupied Kashmir, presenting the man named in those reports during a press briefing in Islamabad.

Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said the briefing was intended to respond to what he described as another false-flag narrative. The remarks followed Indian media reports claiming that a person allegedly wanted in connection with the Pahalgam attack had been killed during an encounter in the Korag area of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

The spokesperson said Indian military and media accounts had circulated claims that the individual was linked to Pakistan’s military and had been involved in several attacks. He rejected those assertions and presented the man, identified as Mohammad Asif, before the media to challenge the Indian version of events.

According to the briefing, Indian accounts had named the person as a former Pakistan Army havildar and alleged that he had been associated with militant activity. The spokesperson read out a timeline of Indian claims and questioned how the person could have been declared killed when he was present and alive.

Mohammad Asif also spoke during the briefing and said he was a resident of Attock district. He stated that he had received calls after reports appeared on social media claiming that he had been killed by Indian forces in Kashmir.

The issue is linked to the broader diplomatic and security tensions that followed the Pahalgam attack. Pakistan has previously denied involvement in that incident and has called for a neutral investigation, while criticising what it describes as unsupported allegations from across the border.

The briefing also referred to the wider information environment during previous Pakistan-India tensions, including criticism of unverified claims and media narratives. Officials said such claims risked inflaming tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

The development is likely to draw further attention because it directly challenges an Indian security claim through a public appearance by the person named in those reports. Any official response from New Delhi or further evidence presented by either side could shape the next stage of the dispute.