Pakistan rejects charges, denies any link with Pulwama attack

Islamabad, Feb 14: Pakistan on Thursday issued a statement saying that "elements in the Indian media and government" are trying to blame Pakistan for Pulwama terrorist attack without investigations. Pakistan condemened the dastardly attack which left at least 40 CRPF personnel martyred and called the attack in South Kashmir as "matter of grave concern".

"Attack in Pulwama in Kashmir is a matter of grave concern. We have always condemned acts of violence anywhere in the world. We strongly reject any insinuation by elements in the Indian media and government that seek to link the attack to Pakistan without investigations," reports quoted Pakistan Foreign Office as saying.

India had earlier lashed out at Pakistan for providing safe haven to Jaish chief Maulana Masood Azhar.

In the wake of dastardly attack on CRPF convoy in South Kashmir's Pulwama which left around 40 jawans martyred, India reiterated its demand that the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Maulana Masood Azhar be declared as terrorist.

It was Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist who rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the bus in which the CRPF personnel were travelling. The vehicle belonged to 54 battalion of the CRPF. The blast reduced the bus to a mangled heap of iron and body parts could be seen strewn around the area.

"This terror group is led by international terrorist Masood Azhar, who has been given full freedom by Government of Pakistan to operate and expand his terror infrastructure in territories under the control of Pakistan and to carry out attacks in India and elsewhere with impunity," MEA statement said.

Condemning the Pulwama terror attack, which left around 40 jawans martyred, in strong terms, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday confirmed that the attack was carried by Pakistan backed terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). The Home Minister said the government will not hesitate to take any action.

"The attack was carried out by Pakistan backed Jaish e Mohammed. A strong reply will be given and I assure the people of the country this. The country pays tribute to the brave jawans who were martyred. Whatever response needs to be given, we will not hesitate," Singh told news agency ANI.

Rajnath Singh will go to Srinagar tomorrow. A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security will be held tomorrow in the national capital. NIA and NSG teams will also head for Kashmir to aid the police in probe.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday condemned the terrorist attack at a CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama in strong words and said "sacrifices of our brave security personnel shall not go in vain".

Around 40 jawans were killed and several injured when a suicide bomber rammed a Scorpio car laden with over 300 kg of explosives into a CRPF convoy in Awantipora town of Pulwama district today. The Jaish-e-Mohammad bomber, a Kashmiri local who carried out a suicide strike on a bus carrying CRPF jawans, had loaded his vehicle with over 300 kilograms of explosives.