India, Afghanistan reject accusations of involvement in 'terrorism' in Pakistan

This undated photograph shows Afghan policemen stand guard next to Indian and Afghan national flags, at a check point in Kabul city. (REUTERS/File)

• Top officials in Islamabad said on Saturday they had 'irrefutable evidence' of India’s sponsorship of militants on Pakistani soil
• Pakistan has also accused Indian diplomats in Kabul of supervising militant activity against Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: New Delhi and Kabul on Sunday said they rejected Pakistan’s accusations that it had 'irrefitable' evidence the two nations were sponsoring terror attacks against Pakistan.
The Afghan and Indian statements come a day after Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and military spokesman Maj. Gen. Babar Iftikhar held a joint conference in which they presented what they called “irrefutable evidence” of India’s sponsorship of attacks against Pakistan, including the involvement of Indian diplomats in Kabul in supervising militant activity.
In response, India's foreign ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said the Pakistani accusations were "another futile anti-India propaganda exercise."
"The so-called claims of ‘proof’ against India enjoy no credibility, are fabricated and represent figments of imagination," Srivastava said in a press release, adding that the conference was a "deliberate attempt on the part of the Pakistani establishment to shift focus from its internal political and economic failures. It also seeks to justify cross-border terrorism."
In a separate statement, the Afghan foreign ministry said it "strongly rejects the allegations of the spokesman of the Pakistani Army claiming the use of Afghan territory against that country. These claims were made during a press conference in the presence of the Pakistani Foreign Minister."
The Afghan ministry said that as a victim of terrorism itself, Afghanistan would "never allow" Afghan territory to be used against other countries: "We are committed to a policy of combating all forms of terrorism, without discrimination around the world."
Pakistan has long claimed that India sponsors militant groups in Pakistan — claims India has always denied — but Saturday's announcement at the joint press conference provided specific accusations and evidence, which Qureshi said would be presented to the United Nations (UN). The materials included audio recordings and video clips documenting purported communication between Indian intelligence operatives and militants.
The Afghan ministry said Afghanistan reiterated its call for an international, UN-backed team to "examine the claims of the esteemed government of Pakistan seriously and responsibly."
The presence of anti-Pakistan militants in Afghanistan is a major worry for Islamabad, as highlighted in a July report by the UN that said more than 6,000 Pakistani insurgents, mostly belonging to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group which routinely attacks Pakistani military and civilian targets, were hiding in Afghanistan.