New Delhi: Hours after Pakistan PM Imran Khan demanded evidence and intel on Pulwama terror attack suggesting his country's hand in it, New Delhi on Tuesday said it was not "surprised" that Islamabad has again failed to condemn the "heinous act".
"We are not surprised that the Prime Minister of Pakistan refuses to acknowledge the attack on our security forces in Pulwama as an act of terrorism. Prime Minister of Pakistan has neither chosen to condemn this heinous act nor condoled with the bereaved families," said the Ministry of External Affairs.
Citing past examples, like Pathankot attack, New Delhi said Pakistan has made "no progress" on those.
“The Prime Minister of Pakistan has offered to investigate the matter if India provides proof. This is a lame excuse. In the horrific attack in Mumbai on 26/11, proof was provided to Pakistan. Despite this, the case has not progressed for the last more than 10 years. 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 Prime Minister has referred to a "Naya Pakistan” with a new thinking. In this "Naya Pakistan”, Ministers of the current Government publicly share platforms with terrorists like Hafeez Saeed who have been proscribed by the United Nations," said the MEA.
Taking on Pakistan’s offer of talks, India reiterated that it is “ready to engage in a comprehensive bilateral dialogue in an atmosphere free from terror and violence”.
Pakistan’s charge of being the greatest “victim” of terrorism did not go down well with India. New Delhi pointed out how it was well-known internationally that "Pakistan is the nerve center of terrorism”.
Accusing India of playing judge and jury, Khan said New Delhi had blamed the attack on Islamabad “without any proof”. The address comes a day after his government shot off a letter to the UN, seeking its urgent intervention to defuse tensions with India despite New Delhi repeatedly refusing third-party negotiations on the Kashmir issue in keeping with the Shimla Accord.
Denying Pakistani link to the attack, he said, "What will Pakistan benefit from this? We as a nation are moving towards stability. Don't blame us."
Khan, however, said his government was willing to cooperate if India shared evidence and intel on the attack. "India blamed Pakistan without proof. We have lost lakhs of Pakistanis in our fight to maintain peace. Why will we jeopardise that?" He then said that if there is any intel against Pakistan, the country will give its full cooperation to the investigation.
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