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Pakistan has expressed serious concern over Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's remark that "terrorists have to be neutralised only through terrorists," saying his comments confirm its suspicion about India's involvement in terrorism.
"This statement only confirms Pakistan's apprehensions about India's involvement in terrorism in Pakistan," said Sartaj Aziz, advisor to Pakistan prime minister on foreign affairs, while reacting to Parrikar's statement. "It must be the first time that a minister of an elected government openly advocates use of terrorism in another country on the pretext of preventing terrorism from that country or its non-state actors."
He added Pakistan sincerely pursues a policy of good neighbourly relations with India. "Terrorism is our common enemy and it is vital for the two countries to work together and defeat this menace, from which Pakistan has suffered more than almost any other country."
On Thursday, asserting that terrorists have to be neutralised only through terrorists, Parrikar had said India will take "pro-active" steps to prevent a 26/11 type attack hatched from a foreign soil.
"There are certain things that I obviously cannot discuss here. But if there is any country, why only Pakistan is planning something against my country, we will definitely take some pro-active steps," Parrikar said.
The minister had used Hindi phrase "kaante se kaanta nikaalna" (removing a thorn with a thorn) and wondered why Indian soldiers should be used to neutralise terrorists.
Earlier, senior Pakistani officials including army chief General Raheel Sharif and Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry, in recent statements, had accused India's external intelligence agency RAW of fanning militancy in Pakistan.
