What action has Pakistan taken since 26/11? Sitharaman asks Imran Khan

Bengaluru, Feb 19: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday slammed Pakistan for failing to act against terrorists despite evidences being given to them since the Mumbai terror attack.

She was reacting to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's message to India to share 'actionable intelligence' if his country was involved in the terror attack for any action.

Referring to the Mumbai attack, the defence minister said that the Mumbai attackers had been given due process and been punished too. "In Pakistan, not even the first court is doing its job. There is nothing for Pakistan to show," she said.

Also, at every level India has been following the process of law and the Mumbai attackers had been brought to book and punished by court of law, she told a press conference here.

"In Pakistan not even the first court is doing its job. There is nothing for Pakistan to show," she added.

Reacting to Khan's comments over the attack, Sitharaman said she would not want to say how the government was going to respond to it as no word is sufficient enough to assuage the anger and disappointment of every person of the country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already allowed the Indian Army to respond at any given time and as they see fit, Sitharaman said.

On the defence forces morale following the Pulwama terror attack, Sitharaman said "The morale is not affected at all, they are absolutely ready to do their job.

The response the people of India have shown, has brought greater motivation to them," she said.

Asked what the government is doing to avoid a repeat of Pulwama type attacks, Sitharamana said India was gathering more information to prevent any such incidents in future.

"The security agencies are working tirelessly to gather more information from the ground.

Every effort will be taken to prevent any future incidents such as Pulwama Terror attack," she said.

Sitharaman said that the security forces have already been given freedom to respond at any given time and as they see fit.

She, however, did not respond to Imran Khan's evidence demand and said: "I would not want to say how our government is going to respond to this as no word is sufficient enough to assuage the anger and disappointment of every person of the country."

Khan on Tuesday assured India that he would act against the perpetrators of the Pulwama terror attack if New Delhi shares "actionable intelligence".