Islamabad, Feb 21: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday authorised the military to “respond decisively and comprehensively to any aggression or misadventure” by India, amidst heightened tensions between the two sides following the Pulwama attack that killed 49 CRPF soldiers.
Days after the suicide attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad militant group in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said security forces have been given free hand to avenge the dastardly act.
Prime Minister Khan, who chaired a key meeting of the National Security Council here on Thursday, said the Pakistan government was “determined to demonstrate” that it is capable of protecting its people.
He authorised the armed forces of Pakistan to “respond decisively and comprehensively to any aggression or misadventure by India,” said a statement issued after the meeting.
“This is a new Pakistan and we are determined to demonstrate to our people that the State is capable of protecting them,” Khan was quoted as saying by the ‘Radio Pakistan’.
The country’s top civilian and military leadership said that “Pakistan is not involved in any way, means or form in Pulwama incident and it was conceived, planned and executed indigenously”, according to the statement.
It said Pakistan has sincerely offered investigation of the “incident” and dialogue on the issue of terrorism among other disputed issues with India.
“We expect India to positively respond to these offers,” it said, adding that based on the investigation or any tangible evidence provided, Pakistan shall take action against anyone found using its soil.
The NSC urged the global community to play its part in resolving the Kashmir issue.
Ahead of the NSC meeting on Thursday, Prime Minister Khan and Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa held a one-on-one meeting during which they discussed region’s security situation.
The meeting was attended by Army chief General Bajwa, services chiefs, heads of intelligence agencies, security officials and federal and state ministers for finance, defence, foreign affairs and interior.
Khan also directed both the interior ministry and the security institutions to immediately accelerate actions on ground to ensure that militancy and extremism are routed from the society and the country.
Pakistan bans JuD, its charity wing FIF
Islamabad, Feb 21: Pakistan on Thursday banned the 2008 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamat-ud-Dawa and its charity wing Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation.
A spokesman of the Interior Ministry said that the decision to ban these groups was taken during a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) held at the Prime Minister’s Office on Thursday.
“It was decided during the meeting to accelerate action against proscribed organisations,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
“It was further decided that Jamat-ud-Dawa and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation be notified as proscribed organizations by the Ministry of Interior,” he added.
Earlier, the two outfits were kept on the watchlist of the interior ministry.
