India comes down heavily on Pakistan for continuing to evade responsibility in Pulwama attack

Pakistan had rejected chargesheet in the Pulwama attack case

Four arrested for making objectionable remarks on Pulwama attack (File) The attack had resulted in the death of 40 Central Reserve Police Personnel

“It is regrettable that Masood Azhar, the first accused in the chargesheet in the Pulwama attack case, continues to find shelter in Pakistan. Enough evidence has been shared with Pakistan, but it continues to evade responsibility,” said Anurag Srivastava, spokesperson for the ministry of external affairs (Mea) at his weekly briefing on Thursday, while responding to queries on Pakistan's rejection of the chargesheet.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a chargesheet in the Pulwama attack case, naming 20 people, including Azhar. Pakistan promptly rejected the chargesheet. The attack had resulted in the death of 40 Central Reserve Police Personnel.

Srivastava said the chargesheet was filed after 18 months of investigation into the attack that took place on February 19, 2019. “It has been filed to address the act of terrorism and to bring perpetrators of such a heinous crime to justice. Our aim is not to simply issue statements or notifications,'' he added.

He pointed out that Jaish-e-Mohammed had claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack. The organisation and its leadership is in Pakistan. Srivastava also said Pakistan had not yet taken any credible action against perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attack of 2008, which resulted in the loss of 165 lives, including 25 foreign nationals.

He said Pakistan has never taken credible and verifiable action against terror entities or listed individuals. The Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) list, published by the country, had named Dawood Ibrahim and 86 other designated terrorists. It had directed officials to implement United Nations Security Council committee resolutions against them. Later, the foreign affairs ministry said the listing was not new and not an admission that the listed people lived on Pakistani soil.

“Pakistan's assertion that the SRO does not mean that it admits to the presence of listed individuals on its territory or that it would impose any mew measures on them lays bare the insincerity of Pakistan in responding to legitimate expectations of the world that they will track down international terrorists based on its soil. Pakistan has not only maintained its opposition to this international consensus but it has also chosen not to act against them,'' Srivastava lashed out.

Meanwhile, he said India continues to take up the Kulbhushan Jadhav matter with the Pakistani government. India has been seeking an Indian lawyer to represent the former Indian Navy commander in the Islamabad high court.

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