Uri attack: India gives Pak proof, summons Abdul Basit

The ministry of external affairs on Wednesday evening summoned Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit and lodged a strong protest over the terror attack at Uri, saying that the violation by Islamabad of its own anti-terrorism assurances “is a matter of very serious concern”, adding that India “is ready to provide finger prints and DNA samples of terrorists killed in the Uri and Poonch incidents” if Pakistan wants to probe the cross-border attacks.

The MEA said India now expected a response from Pakistan on this. Foreign secretary S. Jaishankar told Mr Basit that the Uri terror attack showed that “the infrastructure of terrorism in Pakistan remains active”, and demanded that “Pakistan lives up to its public commitment to refrain from supporting and sponsoring terrorism against India”.

New Delhi mentioned the recovery of items from the bodies of the terrorists killed in the Uri and Poonch attacks, including the “GPS from the bodies of terrorists with coordinates that indicate the point and time of infiltration across the LoC and the subsequent route to the terror attack site, grenades with Pakistani markings, communication matrix sheets, communication equipment; and other stores made in Pakistan, including food, medicines, and clothes”.

In a statement, the MEA said, “Foreign secretary Dr Jaishankar called in the high commissioner of Pakistan Mr Abdul Basit today and reminded him that the Government of Pakistan had made a solemn commitment in January 2004 to not allow its soil or territory under its control to be used for terrorism against India. The persistent and growing violation of this undertaking is a matter of very serious concern.”

“The latest terrorist attack in Uri only underlines that the infrastructure of terrorism in Pakistan remains active. We demand that Pakistan lives up to its public commitment to refrain from supporting and sponsoring terrorism against India.”

“If the Government of Pakistan wishes to investigate these cross-border attacks, India is ready to provide finger prints and DNA samples of terrorists killed in the Uri and Poonch incidents. We now expect a response from the Government of Pakistan,” the MEA added.

“This year, beginning with the Pathankot airbase attack, there have been continuous attempts by armed terrorists to cross the LoC and International Border in order to carry out attacks in India.

Seventeen such attempts have been interdicted at or around the LoC, resulting in the elimination of 31 terrorists and preventing their intended acts of terrorism. Foreign secretary also reminded him that even as he spoke two engagements at the LoC were ongoing, the MEA further said, “In the recent incidents, we have recovered a number of items that include: a. GPS from the bodies of terrorists with coordinates that indicate the point and time of infiltration across the LoC and the subsequent route to the terror attack site; b. Grenades with Pakistani markings; c. Communication matrix sheets; d. Communication equipment; and e. Other stores made in Pakistan, including food, medicines and clothes.”