India summons Pakistan High Commissioner, lodges strong protest in connection to the #PulwamaTerrorAttack

New Delhi, February 15: Summoning Pakistan High Commissioner, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale on Friday issued a "very strong demarche" in connection to the Pulwama terror attack. The Ministry of External Affairs summoned Pakistan's High commissioner Sohail Mehmood and lodged a strong protest against the Pulwama attacked that killed more than 40 CRPF personnel on Thursday. Pakistan based terrorist group Jaish e Mohammad (JEM) had claimed responsibility for the attack.

 

India conveyed that Pakistan must take "immediate and verifiable action" against the JEM. The Ministry of External Affairs asked Islamabad that "it must immediately stop any groups or individuals associated with terrorism operating from its territories".

India also rejected the statement made by the Pak foreign ministry on Thursday. Pakistan had said it, "strongly rejects any insinuation by elements in the Indian government and media circles that seek to link the attack to the State of Pakistan without investigations".

Islamabad had even made flip-flops while issuing the release by first issuing it, later withdrawing it to issue another one with minor changes. This is the second time this year when the Pak envoy has been summoned. He was summoned in January after Pakistan Foreign Minister SM Qureshi had made a phone call to pro-Pakistan Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly condemned the incident today and held a meeting with top members of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). PM Modi said all Indians are angry right now after the terror attack at Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday evening.

"I pay tribute to soldiers who lost their lives at Pulwama. Our security forces have been given full freedom. We have full faith in their bravery," PM Modi said.

 

"I understand sentiments of those criticising us but I want to urge them, it is an emotional time, stay away from political one-upmanship," the prime minister insisted.

 

In all, as many as 7 times a Pakistan High Commissioner has been summoned under the Modi-government since 2014. In the CCS meeting that took place today, India decided to withdraw Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to Pakistan.