New Delhi: Indian government Saturday said that if Pakistan claims to be a ‘Naya Pakistan’ with a new line of thought, then it should show it in terms of action taken against terror groups. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that Pakistan has failed to take any credible action against the Jaish-e-Mohammed and other terror organisations operating from its soil.
Kumar said, “It is regrettable that Pakistan still continues to deny Jaish-e-Mohammed’s claim of taking ownership of Pulwama attack. Pakistan Foreign Minister said they (JeM) have not claimed responsibility of the attack. Is there is some confusion or is Pakistan defending the Jaishe-Mohammed?”
Kumar also dismissed Pakistan’s claim that its air force downed two aircraft of the Indian Air Force. “Only one aircraft was lost by us. Pakistan is spreading false propaganda,” asserted Kumar adding, “If Pakistan has a video recording of shooting down two aircraft of the Indian Air force, why it has not shared the evidence with the international media.”
On Pakistan’s refusal to admit that Pakistan Air Force lost one F 16 fighter jet when it attempted to target military facility in India, Kumar said there is evidence to show that IAF pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman shot down their aircraft.
“There are eyewitness accounts and electronic evidence that Pakistan deployed F-16 aircraft and that one F-16 was shot down by Wing Commander Abhinandan. We have asked USA to also examine whether the use of F-16 against India is in accordance with terms and conditions of sale,” he said.
The MEA spokesperson’s statement comes a day after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said that his government would not allow the country’s soil to be used for terror purposes against any country.
He said that the same script is playing out in Pakistan that was seen after a terror attack on Parliament in 2001, in Mumbai in 2008 and in the days following attacks in Pathankot and Uri. He said Pakistan has to show “credible, verifiable and sustainable action” against terrorist outfits.
“If Pakistan claims to be a ‘Naya Pakistan’ with ‘Nayi Soch’ then it should demonstrate ‘Naya Action’ against terrorist groups and cross border terrorism in support of its claims,” he said.
“Pakistan will be judged not by the words they speak, but the actions they take. Besides issuing notifications in the Gazette, they have to dismantle terrorist infrastructure,” he added.