A day after Pakistan's Punjab province Law Minister Rana Sanaullah admitted that Islamabad cannot take legal action against Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) as the "state itself remained involved" with them, Indian on Friday called on the Nawaz Sharif-led government to address this issue in the interest of a normal relationship between the two hostile nations.
"If the honourable minister indeed said so, it sadly corroborates our view that we have always held about the support and the freedom available to anti-India terrorist groups in Pakistan, including internationally sanctioned terrorist groups and individuals," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in a briefing.
Adding that the Law Minister's remarks elucidate the reason for the lack of effective action against those entities and organisations against whom Pakistan has an international obligation to act, Swarup called on Islamabad to address this "unfortunate reality in the interest of a normal relationship between the two countries and also in the broader interest of Pakistan itself."
Talking about USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that passes through restive Pakistan occupied Kashmir, Swarup said India has asked Beijing to seize all activities in the sensitive area.
"The Government of India's stand on this matter is well-known and has been reiterated time again. Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. Chinese activities on PoK have been taken up with the Chinese side including at their highest level. We have asked them to seize all activities in PoK." Swarup said.
Meanwhile, senior European Union officials are alarmed over statements made by Sanaullah and have asked their representatives in Pakistan to investigate the same.
The European Union has been cracking down on militant groups and the comments made by the Law Minister of Pakistan's Punjab province has both shocked officials and leaders to the point that they have started a "a process to slam economic sanctions on Pakistan " if the linkage to terror groups as admitted by Rana Sanaullah turn out to be accurate.
This assertion by Sanaullah is the first official comment linking Pakistan to terror groups and within hours of the comment the EU has galvanised itself into action to start the process of determination of veracity of these official comments, which will trigger economic and aviation sanctions on Pakistan.
