Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday said Pakistan was not being blamed for the Pulawama terror attack without any evidence but said the country's Prime Minister Imran Khan deserved a chance since he has only recently taken charge in the country.
"Pathankot dossier was given to them (Pakistan) but no action was taken to punish the perpetrators. Time to walk the talk," Ms Mufti said in a tweet, responding to Mr Khan's statement on the Pulwama terror attack, posted by his government on Twitter.
"But Pak PM deserves a chance since he has recently taken over. Of course the war rhetoric (in India) has more to do with the impending elections that anything else (sic)," she added.
Mr Khan on Tuesday said he would act against the those responsible for the Pulwama terror attack if New Delhi shares "actionable intelligence". Denying the involvement of the Pakistan government, he, however, warned India against any retaliatory action.
"All this 'attack Pakistan' talk is all keeping elections in mind. But if at all these are serious, please make note of one thing clearly - Pakistan will not think of retaliating, it will retaliate," he said in his first statement on the worst-ever terror strike on security forces that claimed over 40 lives in Jammu and Kashmir.
India hit out at Mr Khan over the statement, saying he should "stop misleading the world" and take "credible and visible action" against terror masterminds operating from its soil.
New Delhi also ripped into Imran Khan's insinuation that India's attacks on Pakistan were linked to the election ahead. "It is regrettable that the Pakistani Prime Minister has insinuated that India's response to the terrorist attack is determined by the forthcoming General Election. India rejects this false allegation. India's democracy is a model for the world which Pakistan would never understand," said a foreign ministry statement.
The government also dismissed as a "lame excuse" Imran Khan's "offer" to investigate, "if given proof", the role of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed.
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