Pakistan denies role in Sunjwan attack, accuses India of running 'smear campaign'

Islamabad: Pakistan on Sunday denied its role in the audacious terror attack on an Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Sunjwan area, saying the Indian officials and its media were making "irresponsible" statements even before conducting a proper investigation into the incident.

Reacting to the issue, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson accused India of running a "smear campaign against Islamabad and the deliberate creation of war hysteria."

"It is a well-established pattern that Indian officials begin making irresponsible statements and levelling unfounded allegations, even before a proper investigation into any incident has been initiated," the Foreign Office spokesperson said when asked about the attack on Sunjwan Army camp in Jammu.

"A particular segment in the Indian media runs with their innuendos to malign Pakistan and whips up public frenzy. We are confident that the world community would take due cognisance of India's smear campaign against Pakistan, and the deliberate creation of war hysteria," the spokesperson said.

The reactions from Pakistan came several hours after a group of heavily armed terrorists linked to Jaish-e-Mohammad struck the sprawling camp of the 36 brigade of Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry in the early hours of Saturday, triggering a gunbattle.

Security forces have so far neutralised three terrorists holed up in the Army camp while six people, including five Army personnel, were also killed in the attack.

The latest attack on the camp took place nearly 15 months after the Jammu region was hit by a similar attack.

On November 29, 2016, terrorists had stormed the Army's Nagrota camp on the outskirts of the city, killing seven Army personnel, including two officers. 

Three terrorists were gunned down in the operation.

Intelligence inputs had warned of an attack on an Army or security establishment by Jaish-e-Mohammed in view of the death anniversary of Afzal Guru, who was hanged on February 9, 2013, for the 2001 attack on Parliament House. 

(With PTI inputs)