New Delhi: India on Friday took a potshot at Pakistan over the continuous ceasefire violations and the latter's allegation that India was the aggressor country. "The allegation that India started firing originated in Pakistan, a country which harboured Osama Bin Laden for over a decade in a military garrison town. There is no need to say anything more," the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
"The new government was always serious about bilateral talks with Pakistan. We have shown readiness to take the first step to engage with Pakistan in a peaceful manner. But what have we got in return? A media spectacle before Foreign Secretary-level talks, hostile statements at the UN, violence against citizens at the international boundary. It is up to Pakistan to now de-escalate. This is entirely in Pakistan's hands," the MEA statement said, adding in the end, "We have no fear of talks, but we will not talk out of fear."
Pakistan had on Thursday dumped the entire blame for the ongoing border tension on India, claiming that its army never targeted civilians and that Indian aggression on the border was resulting in casualties in Pakistan.
"India should act in a responsible manner. We don't want to convert border tension between two nuclear neighbours into confrontation," Pakistan Defence Minister Khwaja Asif said. Shortly afterwards, the Pakistan Foreign Ministry said that Pakistan did not start "any aggression on the border".
"We strongly condemn Indian aggression on Indian border. We have not started any aggression on the border. We will take action to the fullest capacity," Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tasnim Aslam Khan told CNN-IBN, adding that if India wanted, the two sides could talk and "end this madness".
"There is loss of life and property on the Pakistani side. The Pakistani Army is careful of not killing civilians," she said.
Comments
0 comment