Pulwama attack charges: Imran sends strong message to India, says Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday said Prime Minister Imran Khan sent a brave and strong message to the Indian leadership in response to their threatening statements following the Pulwama attack in occupied Kashmir. FM Qureshi meets Pakistan’s top envoy in India amid Pulwama attack allegations.

Qureshi was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of Pakistan International Airline’s (PIA) flight from Multan to Sharjah at Multan Airport when he lauded PM Imran’s address to the nation. The foreign minister further said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has chalked out an integrated strategy to enable national institutions to stand on their own feet. Qureshi said the government will also restore the national identity of PIA.

PM Imran Khan on Tuesday in an address to the nation offered India an olive branch and said Islamabad was willing to act upon actionable intelligence after sections of the Indian government and media accused the country of being involved in the Pulwama suicide attack in occupied Kashmir.

Reiterating his resolve for a peaceful neighbourhood the premier said Islamabad had nothing to gain from the attack and would act against any individual who used Pakistani soil to plan or execute the attack.

Meanwhile in an interview with a private TV channel Foreign Minister Qureshi said the world will believe Pakistan’s point of view regarding Pulwama attack once it sees that our stance is based on fact and reason.

Foreign Minister Qureshi said de-escalation is everyone’s responsibility. We are in contact with all these countries and organisations and will present our side of the story, he said. He said Pakistan has already offered to be part of the investigation and cooperate with India.

“Pakistan has criticised the way India assigned responsibility for the attack without conducting an investigation. Our stance is based on truth and is reasonable”, Qureshi said.

Qureshi said a National Security Committee meeting has been called today (Thursday) by Prime Minister Imran Khan at which we will gauge the situation in light of the PM’s recent address to the nation. In his address the prime minister warned India that Pakistan would not think twice before retaliating if it came down to it.

I have been briefed by our ambassadors across the world on the response to the situation including by High Commissioner to India Sohail Mahmood (who was recently recalled from Delhi) and I believe Pakistan’s stance is based on reasonability and rationality, Qureshi said.

The foreign minister also praised China’s stance on the issue. He said China has always formed it opinion and made decisions wisely after taking all the information into consideration and has indicated that India is pointing fingers at Pakistan without any evidence.