LONDON, May 08 (APP): Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Dr Muhammad Faisal, reaffirmed that peace remained the first choice of Pakistan but warned India that his country would not accept such attacks on its territory and would retaliate.
“Pakistan is not going to accept such kind of attacks. Let’s be very clear. We cannot be cowed out because they launch missiles or something, and we will remain civil. We will retaliate whenever we are attacked. There should be no doubt about that,” the high commissioner said in an interview with Sky News aired on Thursday.
Discussing the prevailing Pakistan-India tension, he said Pakistan was ready to cooperate with an international investigation into the attack in Pahalgam. But instead of listening to Pakistan’s offer of investigation, India chose to attack Pakistan.
Rubbishing the Indian allegation against Pakistan’s involvement in different terrorist incidents, he said India had to provide the evidence.
“India has to provide the evidence. We have to collaborate. The delegations have to meet. The embassies have to interact. If they throw missiles at my country, how are we supposed to collaborate with them? he questioned.
Highlighting the Indian strikes in Pakistan, the high commissioner said more than 30 civilians have lost their lives and over 50 were injured.
“It is a serious matter because over 30 people were buried all over Pakistan( on Wednesday). So, it is a very, very serious matter.”
He told the interviewer that Pakistan wanted to avoid this as the country had been offering the investigation.
“We never wanted it to escalate. The attack has happened… Of course, the final decision (for retaliation) will be of National Security Committee — the chief decision-making body led by the Prime Minister (which met on Wednesday),” he commented.
He said all of the investigations into different incidents were pending because of a lack of Indian collaboration.
He told the interviewer that India had unilaterally threw all international laws under the bus and withdrew Article 370 A. Since then, there has been no dialogue.
“The SAARC Summit — the organization which runs South Asia — should have led South Asia toward development for 1.7 billion people. It’s dysfunctional for one reason: India doesn’t want it to move forward. In November 2016, the summit was to be held in Islamabad. Nine years have passed. Look where the GCC has gone. Look where the African Union has gone.”
He said there had been no dialogue since 2016 because they (India) stopped everything.
“I believe you have to overcome the terrorist attacks and continue with dialogue. That is the only way. If your dialogue process is derailed by one terror attack, then nothing in the world can move you forward.”
Commenting about the Samjhuta Express tragedy, he reiterated the call for an international investigation. Why is India shirking from it if they are so sure?
Asked about Pakistan’s counter-terrorism efforts, High Commissioner Faisal said his country was doing whatever it could.
“Pakistan is the biggest victim of terrorism. On 25th March, the entire train (in Balochistan) was hijacked. Clear links are going to India. We can discuss everything. But we have to find a solution, not keep trading allegations.”
Moreover, he said Pakistan’s removal from the FATF grey list also manifested its compliance with international laws, contrary to India, which violated the UNSC resolutions and water treaties.
Calling the Kashmir dispute a core issue, he said India was not ready to ask the will of Kashmiri people, instead wanted to impose terrorism the way it did on Pakistan, which was not acceptable.