India on Tuesday said that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan refused to condemn the Pulwama attack, in which 40 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force were killed. The Ministry of External Affairs said Khan did not even offer condolences to the families of the deceased soldiers in his speech earlier in the day.
The ministry added that Khan, while asking for evidence from India, ignored the Jaish-e-Mohammed’s claim of responsibility for the attack. “It is a well-known fact that Jaish-e-Mohammad and its leader Masood Azhar are based in Pakistan,” the ministry said. “These should be sufficient proof for Pakistan to take action.”
The government also said that Khan’s claim that Pakistan will investigate the attack if proof is provided was a “lame excuse”. It said proof was provided to Pakistan following the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. “Despite this, the case has not progressed for the last more than 10 years,” India added. “Likewise, on the terror attack on Pathankot airbase, there has been no progress. Promises of ‘guaranteed action’ ring hollow given the track record of Pakistan.”
The Ministry of External Affairs dismissed Khan’s claim that Pakistan is the biggest victim of terrorism, calling it “far from truth”. “The international community is well acquainted with the reality that Pakistan is the nerve center of terrorism,” it said.
India said the Pakistan prime minister’s reference to a “Naya Pakistan” is to a country in which ministers “publicly share platforms with terrorists like Hafeez Saeed, who have been proscribed by the United Nations”.
The Ministry of External Affairs also referred to Khan’s offer of dialogue, saying that India has always been ready for comprehensive bilateral talks, but “in an atmosphere free from terror and violence”.
“It is regrettable that the Pakistani prime minister has insinuated that India’s response to the terrorist attack is determined by the forthcoming General Elections,” the ministry added. “India rejects this false allegation. India’s democracy is a model for the world which Pakistan would never understand.”
India demanded that Pakistan take “credible and visible action” against the perpetrators of the Pulwama attack and against other terrorists and terror groups operating from areas under its control.
India sent several dossiers on 26/11 to Pakistan: Defence minister
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said at an event that the Narendra Modi-led government, as well as the erstwhile United Progressive Alliance government had sent several dossiers of evidence to Pakistan since the 26/11 attacks, ANI reported. “What action has Pakistan taken on them?” she asked.
Sitharaman said that in India, the terrorists who attacked Mumbai were put on trial and sentenced following due process of law. However, in Pakistan, “not even the first court is doing its job”. “There is nothing for Pakistan to show,” she added.
In response to another question, the defence minister said the Pulwama attack has not affected the morale of India’s security forces. “The response the people of India have shown, has brought greater motivation to them,” she said. “They are absolutely ready to do their job. The prime minister has already said that forces have been given freedom to respond at any given time and as they see fit.”
She added that all efforts will be made to prevent an attack like Pulwama taking place in future.
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