Following the deadly terrorist attack by Pakistani terrorists in Pulwama, on Friday US National Security Adviser John Bolton has assured Indian NSA Ajit Doval that America supports India’s right to self-defence.
According to the reports, John Bolton talked to NSA Ajit Doval on Friday morning to express his condolences for the death of 44 CRPF soldiers in the Kashmir and offered his country’s full support to India in confronting terrorism.
“I told Ajit Doval today that we support India’s right to self-defence. I have spoken to him twice, including this morning… and expressed US’ condolences over the terrorist attack, he told PTI.
Adding that the US has been very clear to Pakistan on ending support to terrorist safe havens, Bolton said that the US has been very clear on the issue of terror and said that they are continuing to be in discussions with the Pakistanis. Earlier, the White House and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asked Pakistan to end its support to terrorist safe havens inside the country.
“We stand with India as it confronts terrorism. Pakistan must not provide a safe haven for terrorists to threaten international security, Pompeo said on Twitter.
In a strict message to Pakistan, the White House has asked Islamabad to “immediately end” its “support” to all terror groups and not to provide “safe haven” to them, as the US condemned the brutal Pulwama terror attack claimed the lives of at least 40 CRPF soldiers.
“The United States calls on Pakistan to end immediately the support and safe haven provided to all terrorist groups operating on its soil, whose only goal is to sow chaos, violence, and terror in the region,” White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a late night statement on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid his last respects to the 40 CRPF personnel martyred in the Pulwama terror attack carried out by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) at the Palam technical area. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sent a clear warning to Pakistan and the perpetrators of the terror attack on a CRPF convoy in the Valley, on Friday he said ”security forces have been given “full freedom” to choose a “time and place” for the “future course of action”.
India has lodged a strong protest against Pakistan on Friday in connection with the Pulwama terror attack and said that it would reach out to diplomatic channels to ensure Pakistan’s complete isolation internationally. India’s Foreign Secretary, Vijay Gokhale has met around 25 heads of missions based in New Delhi from United Nation P5 countries, South Asian countries and Japan, Germany and the Republic of Korea. India also withdrew Pakistan’s MFN (Most Favoured Nation) tag.
Sohail Mahmood, the Pakistan high commissioner to India, was also summoned by foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale, who issued a very strong demarche in connection with the terrorist attack. Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria has also been called to Delhi for consultations on diplomatic action against Pakistan in the wake of the dreadful Pulwama attack.
