DAWN.COM

Today's Paper | December 19, 2024

Updated 28 Mar, 2019 07:22am

Pakistan shares preliminary findings on Pulwama dossier with Indian government

The government on Wednesday shared with the Indian government its initial findings on the dossier handed over by Delhi on the Pulwama incident, a statement issued by the Foreign Office said.

According to the statement: "The Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the Foreign Secretary and the findings on the Pulwama incident were shared with him."

The prime minister had earlier offered cooperation in an investigation into the incident if Delhi shared any actionable evidence concerning the suicide bombing in occupied Kashmir's Pulwama area, which had targeted Indian paramilitary soldiers.

Take a look: Kashmir bomber radicalised after beating by troops, parents say

In response to the premier's offer, India had handed over documents to Pakistan on February 27 amidst soaring tensions.

"Pakistan has acted with a high sense of responsibility and extended full cooperation. We do so in the interest of regional peace and security," the Foreign Office said in its statement.

"We have sought further information/evidence from India to take the process forward," it added.

Escalating tensions between India and Pakistan

The handing over of the dossier came at a time when tensions between the two countries were at an all-time high since decades.

On February 26, Indian airforce had violated the Line of Control (LoC), and claimed to have "struck the biggest training camp of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in Balakot" who Delhi alleged were behind the Pulwama attack.

Although ceasefire violations by India had virtually become a norm over the past few years with over 3,000 breaches being committed by Indian troops just last year, it was the first aerial intrusion from the Line of Control (LoC) side since 1971.

The Pakistani government maintained that the Indian planes had missed whatever they were aiming at and that no one died in the attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Balakot area.

The next day, on February 27, Pakistan Air Force undertook strikes across the LoC from Pakistani airspace, downing two Indian aircraft and capturing an Indian pilot, Abhinandan Varthaman, who was later released on the prime minister's directives as a gesture of peace to India.

After the Foreign Office confirmed on February 28 that the dossier had been received, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in an interview with CNN had remarked:

"When this Pulwama tragic incident took place and I landed in Munich for the security conference and I learned about it, what did I do? I condemned, condoled and then the prime minister made a reasonable offer that 'if you have actionable evidence, share it with us and we will honestly, sincerely investigate.'

"I wish India, instead of attacking Pakistan, had shared earlier the dossier, which we received today."

Read Comments

Schools to remain closed across Punjab on Monday due to 'security situation' Next Story