New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj maintained that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan can prove his statesmanship by handing over Masood Azhar to India. Sushma Swaraj said that India is ready to engage with Pakistan but it should create an atmosphere free from terror.
"Agar Imran Khan itna udaar haen toh, de de Masood Azhar ko hamey (If Imran Khan is so generous and a statesman, he should hand over Masood Azhar)", Ms Swaraj said.
On Wednesday, speaking at a function, Ms Swaraj ridiculed Pakistan's repeated double speak on terror. She said that after Pulwama as well, there were instances of such double standards. On one hand, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said JeM Chief Masood Azhar is in Pakistan and on the other, Pak military said JeM does not exist in Pakistan.
Questioning Pakistan's February 27 debacle, she said,"Why did the Pakistani military attack us on behalf of JeM? You not only keep JeM on your soil, but fund them and when the victim country retaliates; you attack it on the terror outfit's behalf". Further she asked,"Why you had to attack, did not you retaliate on behalf of Masood Azhar?"
The Ministry of External Affairs has made it clear that unless and until Pakistan take strict action against terror outfits operating from its soil, India will not have dialogue with Pakistan. "We do not want talk on terror, we want action on it", she said making Indian government's policy perfectly clear.