India launches diplomatic campaign against Pakistan

India on Friday launched a diplomatic campaign to corner Pakistan, even as the foreign secretary summoned Pakistan's envoy to India, Sohail Mahmood, to the South Block to protest Jaish-e-Mohammed's latest attack at Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir.

New Delhi stepped up pressure on Islamabad to act against the JeM, which is based in Pakistan and has been carrying out terror attacks in India. The government also reached out to all the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council as well as all the neighbours of India in South Asia to expose how the Pakistan government has been allowing its territory to be used by the terrorists as a safe haven.

Mahmood, High Commissioner of Pakistan to India, was summoned to the South Block, where Foreign Secretary, Vijay Gokhale, served him a démarche, conveying New Delhi's anguish over the terror attack. India also asked its envoy to Pakistan, Ajay Bisaria, to come to New Delhi for consultations with the foreign secretary and other senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs as well as the Prime Minister's Office on the future course of action.

Gokhale told Mahmood that the Pakistan government must take “immediate and verifiable action” against the JeM. He also told High Commissioner of Pakistan that Islamabad must “immediately stop any groups or individuals associated with terrorism operating from its territories”.

The foreign secretary rejected the statement made by the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan on Thursday dismissing New Delhi's allegation against Islamabad over the attack in Pulwama.

India on Thursday accused Pakistan of giving “full freedom” to the international terrorist and the JeM chief Masood Azhar to operate and expand his terror infrastructure in its territory. India also asked Pakistan to stop supporting terrorists and terror groups operating from its territory and dismantle the infrastructure operated by terrorist outfits to launch attacks in other countries.

The foreign secretary on Thursday also had separate meetings with the envoys of the US, China, Russia, the UK and France – the five UNSC permanent members.

He also had meetings with the envoys of India's friendly neighbours in South Asia as well as the top diplomats of Japan, Germany, South Korea and other important partners.