New Delhi, Apr 7: Joining issue with Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi for his remarks that India could ‘attack’ its western neighbour in April, New Delhi on Sunday said the government here “reserves the right to respond firmly and decisively” to any cross border terrorist attack.
In response to queries on a statement made by Mr Qureshi, MEA spokesman Raveesh Kumar said “India rejects the irresponsible and preposterous statement by the Foreign Minister of Pakistan with
a clear objective of whipping up war hysteria in the region”.
“This public gimmick appears to be a call to Pakistan-based terrorists to undertake a terror attack in India. It has been made clear to Pakistan that it cannot absolve itself of responsibility of a cross border terrorist attack in India,” he said.
Mr Kumar maintained – “No attempt at creating an alibi for its complicity in such attacks will succeed”.
The MEA spokesman asserted that – “Pakistan needs to take credible and irreversible steps against terrorism operating from all territories under its control rather than making hysterical statements to obfuscate the core issue that bedevils our region: cross- border terrorism”.
He said, Islamabad would be “advised” to use established diplomatic and DGMO channels to share any actionable and credible intelligence it has about imminent terror attacks.
“India reserves the right to respond firmly and decisively to any cross border terrorist attack,” he asserted.
The remarks from the MEA spokesman comes hours after Pakistan Foreign Minister Mr Qureshi alleged that India “is hatching a new plot” and may resort to military aggression against the country between April 16 and 20, according to media reports in Pakistan.
“An incident similar to Pulwama could recur in the occupied Kashmir Valley,” Ary News quoted him as claiming in reference to Pulwama terror attack by Jaish-e-Mohammed on February 14.
“Pakistan has reliable intelligence inputs that India is hatching a new plot and may resort to military aggression against Pakistan between April 16-20,” Mr Qureshi has said.
Karachi: Pakistan will release 360 Indian prisoners this month, the foreign office said on Friday, as the nuclear-armed neighbours scale back from a confrontation that prompted world powers to urge restraint.
Tension has been running high since a suicide car bombing by Pakistan-based militants in Kashmir killed at least 40 Indian paramilitary police on Feb. 14, but the risk of conflict rose dramatically on Feb. 27, when India launched an air strike on a militant training base.
“Pakistan has decided that 360 Indian prisoners – having breakup of 355 fishermen and five civilians, who have completed their term of sentence, will be released,” Mohammad Faisal, spokesman for the Pakistan Foreign Office, told reporters.
He said the prisoners would be released in four batches starting from April 8.
Beijing, Mar 29: China on Thursday said that the US is bypassing the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution on Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar and urged them to respect the will and efforts the of parties, by exercising ‘prudence’.
China Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang said the US has bypassed the 1267 Committee by putting forward its draft resolution directly to the Security Council, which will lead to further complication of the issue.
He said such actions will undermine the authority of the 1267 Committee as a main counter-terrorism agency at the Security Council and is not conducive to upholding the unity of the Council.
On being asked about China’s response to the recent draft resolution, he said “I need to correct you. China has not vetoed anything relating to this matter. We put a hold on the application and voiced a different view in the sanctions committee. It’s something completely different from a veto in the Security Council.’
China has put a technical hold on the application, as more time is needed for a comprehensive and thorough assessment. This is in line with the rules of procedure of the 1267 Committee and there are many such precedents, Mr Geng added.
While urging the US to exercise prudence and refrain from forceful actions, he said “China urges the US to respect the will and efforts of parties to the issue and observe traditions of the Security Council to safeguard the 1267 Committee’s authority and the Security Council’s unity.
On March 13, China blocked the United Nations Security Council’s move to designate Masood as a global terrorist. On February 27, the US, the UK and France had moved the United Nations, to declare the JeM chief as a global terrorist.
On February 14, at least 44 CRPF jawans were killed in a terror attack at Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir, India, which was claimed by the militant organisation JeM.