Published 16:39 IST, October 29th 2020
'NSA dialled ISI chief; told them India would escalate': Why Pak panicked over Abhinandan
As per sources, NSA had spoken over a secure line to ISI chief Asim Munir and clearly conveyed that India would not back off its counter terrorism campaign
After PML-N leader Ayaz Sadiq on Wednesday revealed the tense meeting between Pak Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa during IAF's Wing Commander Abhinandan's capture, sources have told Republic about India's side of the story at that point, corroborating the massive pressure on the neighbouring country to immediately return India's hero.
As per top sources, NSA Ajit Doval had spoken over a secure line to ISI chief Asim Munir and clearly conveyed that India would not back off its counter-terrorism campaign even after Abhinandan's capture and that India was ready to escalate. Later, a Pakistan minister and a diplomat in Islamabad confirmed a specific Indian threat to use six missiles on targets inside Pakistan. This essentially proves that Pakistan was rattled after India had struck its terror safe havens in Balakot.
PML-N leader: 'Bajwa was shaking'
Taking a jibe at Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his government, PML-N leader Ayaz Sadiq on Wednesday, recounted that Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi was 'begging to return Abhinandan back to India' and Pak Army Chief Bajwa was sweating and his legs were shaking, otherwise 'India was to attack at 9 PM'. Sadiq claimed that Imran Khan's government was desperate to 'bend its knees to India', giving the example of the ordinance passed to allow Kulbhushan Jadhav's appeal in Islamabad high court against his conviction. This comment comes amid 11 opposition parties' protests in a bid to oust the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) government.
"Speaking about Kulbhushan, we were not the ones who introduced an ordinance in one night and then kept it hidden for two months. We did not respectfully present him in Islamabad High Court, as the present government. I remember Shah Mahmood Qureshi was in the meeting, which PM (Imran Khan) refused to attend and Chief of Army Staff (Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa) attended. His legs were shaking and he was sweating, saying 'For God's sake, let him (Abhinandan) go because India is about to attack Pakistan at 9 PM'," said Sadiq.
Sadiq added, "There was no attack from India till then, but they wanted to bend on their knees for India and send Abhinandan back. So I request them to not talk about such things, forcing us to talk about such things. Talk things which enhance productivity, get legislation done."
Imran Khan admits to India's missile threat & deadline
It also came to light that Pakistan PM Imran Khan had admitted to India's plan to strike by missile if it did not comply with releasing Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman. An undated video has been doing the rounds on social media, in which Pakistan PM Imran Khan can be heard saying that he is aware of a missile attack plan and also of their counter preparations:
"I am aware of our preparations. I am aware of how prepared the Pakistan army is and what are its positions. I also know that there was a plan to attack Pakistan with missile which was defused later," PM Imran Khan says in the video.
Updated 16:39 IST, October 29th 2020