Published 12:01 IST, October 30th 2020
Sitaram Yechury reacts to Pakistan's Pulwama admission; has queries for Indian government
CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury sought an official statement from the government of India even as Pakistan has admitted their role in 2019 Pulwama terror attack
Even after Pakistan's admission in its national assembly that Pulwama was 'Imran Khan government's achievement', CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury has sought an official statement from the government of India. This comes even as India has exposed Pakistan's role in giving safe havens to terrorist groups like Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) which was responsible for the Pulwama terror attack and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) responsible for 26/11 terror attack, on various international platforms including the UN. Moreover, Pakistan is on the FATF grey list for not being able to control the terrorist groups being harboured on its soil.
Despite these and Imran Khan's Minister's own admission, Yechury said that Pakistan and India are "trading charges" and he would only react after an official statement. Earlier, he had questioned the Balakot Air Strike by Indian Air Force and Surgical Strike after the Uri terror attack.
Yechury said to news agency ANI, "India and Pakistan, they are trading charges, first of all, what is the authoritative statement by the Government of India, only when that comes can political parties react."
Earlier on Thursday, BJP chief JP Nadda had slammed the Congress party for questioning the Balakot air strike and other actions taken by India against Pakistan-sponsored terrorists after the 2019 Pulwama terror attack. He asked the grand-old party and former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi if he will believe in the Indian forces now because his "most trusted nation" has spoken.
Pakistan Admits To Pulwama Attack
Pakistan minister Fawad Chaudhry on Thursday while speaking in the Pakistan National Assembly, admitted to the Imran Khan government's involvement in the 2019 Pulwama attack in which 40 Indian Army jawans were martyred. Chaudhry - who is Federal Minister for Science and Technology - claimed that the 'Pulwama was the biggest achievement' of the Imran Khan government. Retaliating to PML-N leader Ayaz Sadiq's narration of Pakistan Army chief Bajwa's trepidation at India's threat when Pak had captured Wing Commander Abhinandan, Chaudhry termed the terror attack as a feat where Pakistan 'entered Indian territory and attacked them.' (India me ghuske maara).
Earlier on Wednesday, taking a jibe at Imran Khan and his government, PML-N leader Ayaz Sadiq, recounted that Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi was 'begging to return Abhinandan back to India' and made Pakistan Army Chief Bajwa sweat and quake in his boots, 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.
Moreover, 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 12:01 IST, October 30th 2020