ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar said on Thursday that Pakistan Muslim League-N Senator Ayaz Sadiq was telling a plain lie regarding decision about releasing Indian wing commander Abhinandan.

“Ayaz Sadiq’s statement is surprising. I was in the meeting that he is talking about. There was no word spoken about Abhinandan’s release. The decision to release Abhinandan came under discussion for the first time the next day. Who is he pleasing by telling such a white lie?,” Asad Umar asked in a series of tweets.

He said intelligence report about India’s attack at 9 o’clock (following the arrest) was received. That attack was not executed by India because India was sent the message that we knew about the preparation for the attack and in response the preparation to give a befitting response was complete, he said.

Just after Abhinandan’s plane was struck down, India knew we were not just making verbal threats, he said.

The federal minister said Ayaz Sadiq was trying unsuccessfully to distort history at the behest of God knows whom.

“Not only Pakistan, but the entire world is testifying that by giving a befitting response to India’s cowardly attack in darkness, the Pakistani forces have once again shown that they really are not a paper tiger,” he said.