Pak still sheltering Pulwama brain: MEA

India on Thursday hit out at Pakistan for continuing to evade responsibility for the Pulwama terror attack and shelter Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar, named as the number one accused in the National Investigation Agency charge sheet in the case.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava also slammed Pakistan's flip-flop on the presence of Dawood Ibrahim in the country, saying it "lays bare" the insincerity" of Islamabad in responding to legitimate expectations of the world that it will track down international terrorists operating from its soil.

On the Pulwama attack case, Srivastava said that enough evidence has been shared with Pakistan but the country continues to evade responsibility.

"Jaish-e-Mohammad had claimed the responsibility of Pulwama attack. The organisation and its leadership are in Pakistan. It is regrettable that Masood Azhar, the first accused in the charge sheet continues to find shelter in Pakistan. Enough evidence has been shared with Pakistan but it continues to evade responsibility," he said.

Forty CRPF personnel were

killed in the Pulwama attack on February 14 last year that triggered massive escalation in tension between India and Pakistan.

India struck a Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist training camp in Pakistan's Balakot on February 26 last year, in response to the attack.

"The charge sheet has been filed after investigation of an year-anda-half since the attack took place on 14 February, 2019. It has been filed to address the act of terrorism and to bring perpetrators of such a heinous crime to justice. Our aim is not to simply issue statements or notifications," Srivastava said.

The NIA on Tuesday filed a charge sheet in the case, detailing how the attack was planned and executed by JeM. The NIA named Azhar, his brother Abdul Rauf Asghar and several others in the charge sheet. Srivastava also added that Pakistan has not yet taken any credible action against perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attack of 2008 which had resulted in the loss of 165 innocent lives.

Masood Azhar, the first accused in the charge sheet continues to find shelter in Pakistan. Enough evidence has been shared with Pakistan but it continues to evade responsibility —MEA