Pak Continues To Shelter Pulwama Terrorists, Does Not Act: MEA

The MEA has criticised the Pakistan government of being insincere and for not taking action against terrorists.

Security personnel carry out rescue and relief work at the site of the suicide bomb attack in Pulwama district of J&K on 14 February. 

(Photo: PTI)

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said that it has filed the 2019 Pulwama attack charge sheet following a year-and-a-half-long probe into the matter to bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice.

An MEA spokesperson said that the “Jaish-e-Mohammed had claimed responsibility for Pulwama attack, the organisation and its leaders are in Pakistan. It's regrettable that Masood Azhar, the first accused, continues to find shelter in Pakistan. We've shared enough evidence with Pakistan but it continues to evade responsibility.".

The MEA went on to criticise the Pakistan government of being insincere and reiterated that it has not been able to take “credible action against perpetrators of Mumbai attacks of 2008.”

MEA On Pak’s Dawood U-Turn

When asked about Pakistan’s U-turn on the Dawood Ibrahim issue, the MEA said that Pakistan “never takes credible, verifiable action against terror entities and listed individuals.”

It was earlier that the Pakistan Foreign Ministry dismissed reports which claimed that Islamabad had, in fact, admitted to Dawood Ibrahim’s presence in Pakistan.

The MEA on Thursday said that “Pakistan's assertion in SRO (Statutory Regulatory Order) doesn't mean it admits to the presence of listed individuals or that it will impose measures on them. It bares their insincerity in responding to the world's expectations that they'll track international terrorists in Pakistan.”

On Dawood’s presence in Pakistan, the MEA said that the “subsequent denial by Pakistan’s foreign office, calls into question their intentions and it would not mislead the world community in believing in its propaganda. Pakistan must take credible action and ensure that listed individuals are prosecuted.”

The spokesperson went on to add that Pakistan has only been able to maintain its opposition in the eyes of the international bodies but has not chosen to act on the matter.

Pak’s Move Against Terror Groups

The Pakistan government has imposed tough financial curbs on 88 banned terror groups and their leaders including the 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed, Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

As per these sanctions imposed on 18 August, all their properties will soon be seized and their banks accounts frozen.

Reports suggest that Pakistan had issued these sanctions in a bid to get out of the grey list of Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF).