Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Defends Jaish-e-Mohammed, Reiterates Terror Group Not Involved in Pulwama Terror Attack

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has yet again denied Masood Azhar-led Jaish-e-Mohammed's (JeM) involvement in the dastardly Pulwama terror attack.

New Delhi: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has yet again denied Masood Azhar-led Jaish-e-Mohammed’s (JeM) involvement in the dastardly Pulwama terror attack. In an interview, he reportedly claimed that the terror outfit is not responsible for the attack in which 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans were killed and demanded an ‘actionable evidence’ by India to prove the same.

Responding to a question during an interview with BBC, Qureshi said that the tension between both countries could have been avoided if India had listened to what was being said by Pakistan, while assuring action against terrorism after evidence is provided. He also reiterated that the JeM is not responsible for terror attack in Pulwama.

Qureshi’s statement comes a day after he admitted that the JeM chief Masood Azhar is in Pakistan while adding that he is ‘unwell to an extend that he cannot move out of his house’.

Meanwhile, India maintained its ‘no dialogue with Pakistan’ stand until the Imran Khan-led nation takes credible action against terrorists. As per government sources close to Zee News, de-escalation of tension between both countries depends on steps taken by Pakistan against terrorists.

Earlier on Wednesday, India had handed over a dossier to Pakistan on ‘specific details’ of involvement of JeM in the Pulwama terror attack. “A dossier was handed over to Pakistani side with specific details of JeM complicity in Pulwama terror attack and the presence of JeM terror camps and its leadership in Pakistan,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

“Regret was expressed at continuing denial by Pakistan’s political and military leadership at the presence of terrorist infrastructure in territories under its control,” it added.

Tension escalated between India and Pakistan following terror attack in south Kashmir’s Pulwama, the responsibility of which was claimed by JeM. In retaliation, India on Tuesday carried ‘pre-emptive’ strikes on terror organisation’s terror camps in Pakistan’s Balakot during wee hours. Pakistan in return violated Indian airspace on Wednesday. However, their jets were pushed back by the Indian Air Force.