Pakistan on Thursday alleged that an Indian news channel aired a “forged” interview of a Pakistani official, which claimed to confirm India’s surgical strikes on terror launch pads across the Line of Control.
In a statement, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said:
CNN News 18 Global Exclusive, an Indian affiliate of CNN International, has aired a forged interview of SP Special Branch AJK, Mr Ghulam Akbar, in which he has allegedly confirmed India’s surgical strike. The Reporter impersonated himself as Inspector General Police Punjab. SP Ghulam Akbar has categorically denied having spoken over phone and that it is not even his voice on the recording run by the said Indian TV channel. It is highly regrettable that the said Indian TV channel...indulged in an unethical and fraudulent act.
The statement goes on to add that "Pakistan strongly denounces Indian media’s despicable act of fraud of airing of a fake program aimed at twisting and fabricating stories for domestic political consumption. This is a clear indication that certain quarters in India are desperate to prove Indian false claim of surgical strike by hook or by crook."
Earlier this week, News18 reported that "Investigations Editor Manoj Gupta made calls to a senior police official in PoK who, under the impression he was speaking to his superior, rattled off the events of that tumultuous night and confirmed every single claim made by the Indian Army."
The report had also added that the Pakistani official "confirmed every single line that Indian Director-General of Military Operations Lt General Ranbir Singh had said in his press conference on September 30."
Responding to the allegations, Pakistan in it's statement also added:
We hope that CNN would take up the matter very seriously with the affiliate Indian TV channel and initiate action against the channel, as not doing so will be regarded as directly owning to this unethical and manipulative act. We reserve the right to take necessary legal action against the said TV channel.