Backing India's stance on Pakistan-based terror groups, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has demanded that Islamabad take "decisive" action against these terrorists, which have routinely carried out attacks on Iranian security forces as well.
The president said that a Pakistani suicide bomber carried out an attack in the southeastern province of Sistan-Balochistan on February 13, in which 27 Revolutionary Guards were killed and about 13 others sustained injuries. The attack was carried out just a day before the suicide attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama, that resulted in the death of over 40 CRPF personnel.
Speaking to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Rouhani said that a lot of these attacks have been traced back to Pakistan and that the Khan-government must deal with these terrorists.
"We are witnessing many terrorist attacks by terrorists who are unfortunately located on the Pakistani soil, and in dealing with these terrorists, whose existence are not in favour of us, you and the region, we are fully ready to cooperate with the Pakistani army and government," the Economic Times quoted the Iranian president as saying. "We are awaiting your strong action against these terrorists."
Rouhani also hoped that Islamabad would not allow these terror groups to affect decades of friendship between Pakistan and Iran, but warned that inaction against these groups would undermine Pak-Iran ties. "The continuation of these terrorists' activities from the Pakistani soil can undermine the relations between the two countries," he added.
While Rouhani was clear about how Iran viewed the terrorists breeding on Pakistani soil, Islamabad is released a statement on the same conversation, which, strangely, barely mentions any discussion on terror, reported the ET.
After the February 13 attack, the Revolutionary Guards had warned that they would enter the Pakistan territory and demolish these terror camps, if the Pak army and the ISI did not take action against them. In a similar move, the Indian Air Force too entered the Pakistan territory on February 26, and demolished several terror camps — including one of the Jaish-e-Mohammed — in Balakot.
Strangely, Pakistan had claimed that the IAF violated its airspace early on Tuesday, February 26, morning but returned after facing a "timely and effective response from Pakistan Air Force." Pakistani Major General Asif Ghafoor announced the "violation" on Twitter and said that the IAF could cause no damage to the nation.
Indian Air Force violated Line of Control. Pakistan Air Force immediately scrambled. Indian aircrafts gone back," Major General Ghafoor's Tweet read. "Details to follow," he added. Speaking of the bomb that the IAF had released in Balakot, Ghafoor said: "Indian aircrafts intruded from Muzafarabad sector. Facing timely and effective response from Pakistan Air Force released payload in haste while escaping which fell near Balakot. No casualties or damage."
