Reacting to Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin’s interview on a Pakistani channel, India on Monday said that it was proof of Pakistan’s role in cross-border terrorism.
In the interview, Salahuddin had admitted to carrying out terrorist attacks in India and claimed that he could target the country “at any time”.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Gopal Baglay said that Salahuddin’s confession of receiving assistance in such activities from Pakistan affirms Islamabad’s complicity in using terrorist proxies as a matter of policy against its neighbours.
“The brazen admission by Syed Salahuddin of perpetrating terrorist attacks on India and having the capacity to carry out such attacks at any place and time in India is a further proof of Pakistan’s continuing policy of cross-border terrorism,” Gopal Baglay said.
“His (Salahuddin) confession of assistance in such activities from Pakistan also affirms the complicity of Pakistan’s state structure in using terrorist proxies as a matter of policy against the neighbours,” he added.
The MEA spokesperson also pointed out that Syed Salahuddin’s interview only highlights the unabashed manner in which terrorist organisations and leaders enjoy freedom of operations in Pakistan, including access to terror financing and procurement and supply of weapons for terrorism.
Salahuddin was designated as a “global terrorist” by the US State Department during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington last month.
Baglay said that it was “a matter of deep regret that senior Pakistan functionaries continue to justify and defend the activities of such internationally-designated terrorist entities and leaders who are responsible for killing thousands of innocent civilians over the past three decades”.
“Pakistan must give up its policy of cross-border terrorism, fulfil its obligations under international resolutions and stop all activities of terrorists from the territory under Pakistan’s control,” he added.
(With IANS inputs)
