No surgical strike, only cross-border fire: Pakistani envoy

Pakistan on Wednesday stuck to its stand there was no surgical strike across the LoC on September 29 as India says, with its High Commissioner Abdul Basit saying there was only cross-border firing.

"There was no surgical strike. Had there been any surgical strike, Pakistan would have retaliated," said Basit in an interview to TV Today, adding Indian forces only fired across the Line of Control (LoC).

Asked what message Pakistan has got from the strikes, he said since there was no strike, there is no question of Pakistan getting any message.

To the point that many prominent Pakistan media organisations have written about the surgical strikes, Basit said that he can't comment on media reports.

He also rubbished the question that a Pakistani Police officer talked about the strikes on televising, saying he did not say what was being claimed.

"Your entire discourse is based on media reports. My stand is there was no surgical strike," he reiterated.

On being asked if he would accept that Pakistan was isolated internationally after Uri terror attack, he said that Pakistan has suffered more from terrorism than any other country.

"We don't need any lecture from anybody on it," he said.

About SAARC summit, which was to take place in Pakistan next month, he said it being postponed was a loss for every country concerned.

"We are confident that Pakistan will host it next year. It is not the first time SAARC summit has got postponed. Pakistan would like to implement our Prime Minister's vision of peace for development " he added.

To the question on political asylum by India to Baloch leader Brahamdagh Bughti, the envoy said: "A handful of individual don't represent Balochistan." He added that he questioned the idea of destablising Pakistan and "if that happens we will see how this pans out".

On the investigation into the Pathankot attack and trial of the accused on the Mumbai attack, Basit said that trials do take time.

Pakistan is committed but without India's cooperation it can't go ahead, he said, noting that last year, Pakistan asked for some information on Mumbai attack but India has not responded yet.

"Trial is underway and the accused are behind bars. It is for India to cooperate," he added.

--IANS

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