New Delhi: India has dismissed as "imaginary lie" Pakistan's recent claim that they had received a proposal to swap former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav for a terrorist who carried out the horrific 2014 Peshawar school attack and is now jailed in Afghanistan.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Khwaja Muhammad Asif suggested that he received the proposal during his meeting with an Afghan National Security Advisor (NSA). However, Mr Asif did not identify the NSA or the terrorist who was to be swapped.
Contradicting Mr Asif's claim, the office of the Afghan National Security Advisor Mohammad Haneef Atmar issued a statement saying there was no mention or reference of India or an Indian citizen during his meeting with the Pakistani foreign minister on September 21 in New York.
Reacting strongly, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the statement by the office of the Afghan NSA suggested that the claim by Mr Asif was one more addition to the long list of "imaginary lies" by Pakistani establishment.
"The two sides also discussed sanctuaries in Pakistan and exchange of the top five Taliban leaders detained in Pakistan.
The MEA spokesperson also referred to Pakistan's use of a "fake picture" in the United Nations General Assembly recently, adding the Pakistan Foreign Minister's claim was another lie.
Mr Jadhav, a 46-year-old retired Indian Navy officer, was in April sentenced to death by Pakistan's Field General Court Martial on charges of his alleged "involvement in espionage and sabotage activities" against Pakistan.
The Pakistan Taliban had claimed responsibility for the gruesome Peshawar school attack in 2014 in which nearly 150 people, mostly school children, were killed.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Khwaja Muhammad Asif suggested that he received the proposal during his meeting with an Afghan National Security Advisor (NSA). However, Mr Asif did not identify the NSA or the terrorist who was to be swapped.
Contradicting Mr Asif's claim, the office of the Afghan National Security Advisor Mohammad Haneef Atmar issued a statement saying there was no mention or reference of India or an Indian citizen during his meeting with the Pakistani foreign minister on September 21 in New York.
Reacting strongly, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the statement by the office of the Afghan NSA suggested that the claim by Mr Asif was one more addition to the long list of "imaginary lies" by Pakistani establishment.
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"The two sides also discussed sanctuaries in Pakistan and exchange of the top five Taliban leaders detained in Pakistan.
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The MEA spokesperson also referred to Pakistan's use of a "fake picture" in the United Nations General Assembly recently, adding the Pakistan Foreign Minister's claim was another lie.
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Mr Jadhav, a 46-year-old retired Indian Navy officer, was in April sentenced to death by Pakistan's Field General Court Martial on charges of his alleged "involvement in espionage and sabotage activities" against Pakistan.
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The Pakistan Taliban had claimed responsibility for the gruesome Peshawar school attack in 2014 in which nearly 150 people, mostly school children, were killed.
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