India Slams Pakistan After Pulwama Attack, Islamabad Rejects Link

“The Indian government condemns in the strongest possible terms, the cowardly terrorist attack,” the MEA said.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

India on Thursday, 15 February, slammed Pakistan over the Pulwama terror attack, carried out allegedly by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and asked the country to stop supporting terrorists and dismantle terror infrastructure operating from its soil.

India strongly reiterated its appeal to all members of the international community, to support the proposal to list terrorists, including JeM Chief Masood Azhar, as a designated terrorist under the 1267 Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council. It also called for a ban on terrorist organisations operating from territories controlled by Pakistan.

At least 37 CRPF personnel were killed on Thursday, 14 February, when a parked vehicle carrying an improvised explosive device (IED) blasted next to the convoy they were traveling in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district. The blast ripped through two of the buses.

JeM claimed responsibility for the attack, just hours after the incident.

Click here for all the live updates on the terror attack.

Pakistan Rejects Links to Attack

In a statement, later on Thursday, Pakistan said the terrorist attack in Kashmir's Pulwama district is "a matter of grave concern" even as it strongly rejected Indian media and government's allegations of the country's link to the strike "without" probe.

Asserting that Pakistan has "always condemned acts of violence" anywhere in the world, it said:

"We strongly reject any insinuation by elements in the Indian media and government that seek to link the attack to Pakistan without investigations."

MEA Calls Pulwama Attack ‘Heinous, Despicable’

“The Indian government condemns in the strongest possible terms, the cowardly terrorist attack on India’s brave security forces in Pulwama,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

“This heinous and despicable act has been perpetrated by Jaish-e-Mohammed, a Pakistan-based terrorist organisation proscribed by the United Nations and other countries,” it said.

‘Azhar Given Full Freedom By Pak’

Further condemning the incident, the MEA said, this terror group is led by international terrorist Masood Azhar, who has been given full freedom by the Pakistani government to operate and expand his terror infrastructure in territories under Pakistan's control and to carry out attacks in India and elsewhere with impunity.

The Indian government is firmly and resolutely committed to take all necessary measures to safeguard national security, it added.

“We are equally resolved to fight against the menace of terrorism. We demand that Pakistan stop supporting terrorists and terror groups operating from their territory, and dismantle the infrastructure operated by terrorist outfits to launch attacks in other countries.” 

Ministry of External Affairs Statement

"We express our sincere condolences to the family members of our fearless security personnel who have made the supreme sacrifice," the MEA said.