Time for Pak PM to 'walk the talk' on terrorism, say parties

New Delhi: Pakistan Premier Imran Khan's message to India on Tuesday to share 'actionable intelligence' if his country was involved in the Pulwama terror attack for any action was met with skepticism by political parties which said it is time for him to 'walk the talk' on terrorism.

While senior Congress leader and Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh asked what proof was Khan talking about and whether India should send the bodies of the soldiers killed in the attack last week, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said Pakistan was not being blamed without any evidence.

Union minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said security agencies have "strong evidence" on Pakistan's involvement in the Pulwama attack and this has been clearly conveyed to the neighbouring country.

The assertions by leaders across the political spectrum also came on a day when General Officer Commanding of Army's Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt General K J S Dhillon said the Pakistan Army and its espionage agency ISI were involved in the car bomb attack by a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) bomber that left 40 CRPF personnel dead.

Khan had earlier in the day said that India holds Pakistan responsible each time an incident happens in Kashmir and makes his country its "whipping boy" again and again.

"If you have any actionable intelligence that a Pakistani is involved. Give it to us. I guarantee you we will take action - not because we are under pressure, but because they are acting as enemies of Pakistan," Khan said In a video message to the nation In a sharp reaction to Khan's remarks, Amarinder Singh reminded Khan that Masood Azhar was sitting in Bahawalpur in Pakistan and masterminding terror attacks with ISI's help.

Dear @ImranKhanPTI (Pakistan tehreek e insaf) you have Jaish chief Masood Azhar sitting in Bahawalpur and masterminding the attacks with ISI help. Go pick him up from there. If you can't let us know we'll do it for you, Singh said in a tweet.

About Khan's demand for proof of Pakistan's involvement, Singh told reporters, What proof is he talking about, should we take the bodies there? (Founder of terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed) Masood Azhar is in Pakistan and doing things from there, and everyone knows it."

"Every day our soldiers are being killed at the Line of Control - so who's killing them?, asked the chief minister, declaring that the entire world knew what Pakistan was doing in Kashmir and other parts of India.

"They (Pakistan) were behind 26/11 (Mumbai terror attack) and India gave all the proof to them, but they did nothing, Singh said.

He said that even in the Rajasansi blast (at Nirankari Bhawan, Amritsar), a Pakistani grenade was used, clearly exposing their involvement.

Time to walk the talk, the chief minister said.

Imran is a `Courtesy ISI' prime minister, so how else can one expect him to react."

Singh further said Pakistani Prime Minister, along with their Army Chief General Bajwa, were killing Indian soldiers and innocent people. India cannot and should not tolerate this..if they kill one of ours, we should kill two.

Earlier, addressing a public gathering in Patiala at the foundation stone laying ceremony of few projects, Singh, a former army captain, underlined the importance of peace for development but said India needed to avenge the killing of its soldiers. Surgical strikes could be one way, but it was up to the Centre to decide what course of action it should take, said Singh, making it clear that he was not in favour of war.

Mehbooba Mufti, a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, took to Twitter to react to Imran's assurance to India on taking action if there was proof of involvement of any Pakistanis.

"Disagree. Pathankot dossier was given to them (Pakistan) but no action was taken to punish the perpetrators. Time to walk the talk," Mehbooba said.

Rathore while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event in Delhi said: "The security and investigative agencies have strong evidence regarding this (Pakistan's involvement in the Pulwama attack) and it has been clearly conveyed to them."

His answer came in response to a question on the Pakistan prime minister's remarks seeking evidence.

"Now, as the PM(Modi) has said, the security forces have been given a full freedom, they will work further in a planned manner," Rathore said.

Asked about Khan's warning, he said India and its government know how to keep the country safe and will do so.

"India is a responsible country and knows how to protect its people and will do so," he added.

"India has made it clear that unless Pakistan shuns terrorism, no talks will take place. If talks take place, it will be for eliminating terrorism," the Information and Broadcasting minister said.

Rathore said Pakistan has been given evidence several times in the past, but no action was taken by it.

"We are still waiting for action on the Mumbai terror attack for which evidence was given to it."