FO denies Indian claim of Pakistan targeting Golden Temple in Amritsar

The Foreign Office (FO) on Tuesday refuted Indian allegations that Pakistan had planned to target the Golden Temple, one of Sikhism’s most sacred sites in Amritsar during the recent military conflict.

The FO’s statement came after India’s allegation in which an Indian media outlet without showing the evidence alleged  that Pakistan attempted to target the Golden Temple in Amritsar with long-range missiles and drones at midnight between May 7-8. 

The Hindustan Times quoted an army official as saying, “The enemy failed to punch through India’s resilient air defence (AD) shield, it [the Golden Temple] was a prime target for the Pakistan Army."

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"We knew that the Pakistan Army does not have any legitimate targets; we anticipated it would target Indian military installations and civilian areas, including religious places. Of these, the Golden Temple appeared to be the most prominent (target). We also received credible intelligence that it was a prime target, which we had brainstormed earlier,” said Major General Kartik C Seshadri, who’s commanding an infantry division in Amritsar.

However, rejecting the claims, FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said, “We categorically reject the allegations that Pakistan attempted to target the Golden Temple, the most revered place in the Sikh faith.”

“We hold all places of worship in the highest esteem and cannot think of targeting a holy site like the Golden Temple.”

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In contrast, India had targeted different places of worship in Pakistan on May 6-7, so allegations “cannot shift attention from this unacceptable act”.

Pakistan is the proud custodian of many holy sites of the Sikh faith. Every year, it welcomes thousands of Sikh pilgrims from across the world,” FO maintained, declaring Indian claims “baseless” and “incorrect”.

Earlier, the FO had also rejected Indian media reports that claimed Pakistan had deployed nuclear-capable Shaheen missiles.

“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 FO spokesperson said.