Give proof, we will act: Imran to Modi

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday asked his Indian PM Narendra Modi to “give peace a chance” and assured him that he “stands by” his words and will “immediately act” if New Delhi provides Islamabad with “actionable intelligence” on the Pulwama attack.

A statement released by the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office said, “PM Imran Khan stand by his words that if India gives us actionable intelligence, we will immediately act.”

Tensions between the neighbours have spiralled in the wake of the suicide attack by Pakistanbased terror group Jaish-e-mohammed (JEM) on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy that killed 40 personnel in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama.

Earlier, on February 19, Khan assured India that he would act against the perpetrators of the attack if it shares “actionable intelligence” with Islamabad, but warned New Delhi against launching any “revenge” retaliatory action. India said Khan’s offer to investigate the attack if provided proof is a “lame excuse”. “It is a well-known fact that Jaish-e-mohammed and its leader Masood Azhar are based in Pakistan. These should be sufficient proof for Pakistan to take action,” the foreign ministry said.

‘PAK WANTS PEACE’

Islamabad wants peace, but India is creating a “war frenzy”, Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi claimed on Sunday. Qureshi also said Pakistan was trying to defuse tensions and has written to the United Nations. The local media reported that Pakistan’s Foreign Office has set up a crisis management cell in view of heightened tensions.