Pakistan minister Fawad Chaudhry backtracks on Pulwama attack remark: Report

After admitting that Pakistan was responsible for the 2019 Pulwama terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 40 CRPF personnel and brought the two countries to the brink of war, the senior Pakistani minister Fawad Chaudhry reportedly said that he was misinterpreted.

Also read: Pak minister Fawad Chaudhry admits Pakistan's role in Pulwama terrorist attack in J&K

"Pakistan doesn't allow any terrorism, I was misinterpreted," the Pakistani Science & Technology Minister told NDTV in an interview.

Stressing that he used "Pulwama" as a broad term for the face-off between India and Pakistan, he said, "My statement is very clear. It was about Operation Swift Resort that we undertook after India dared to enter into Pakistan territory on Balakot. I was talking about the post-Pulwama operation that Pakistan undertook," he said.

Earlier, reacting to the Opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ayaz Sadiq's comments on IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, Chaudhry said, "Humne Hindustan ko ghus ke maara (We hit India in their home). Our success in Pulwama is a success of this nation under the leadership of Imran Khan. You and us are all part of that success."

Also read: 'Legs were shaking' at Pakistan's top leaders' meeting as Shah Mahmood Qureshi pleaded to release Abhinandan Varthaman

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was captured by the Pakistani Army on February 27, 2019, after his MiG-21 Bison jet was shot down in a dogfight with Pakistani jets.

As his statement sparked an uproar in the Pakistan assembly and received flak by the BJP, Chaudhry backtracked and said, "Pulwama ke waqiyeh ke baad, jab humne India ko ghus ke maara (When we hit India in their home after the incident at Pulwama)".

The international community led by the US has pressed Pakistan to deny safe haven to terror groups operating from its soil and bring the perpetrators of the Pulwama attack to justice.

(With agency inputs)