Mike Pompeo’s allegations mere pressure tactics: Pakistan

Pakistan has refuted all the allegations levelled against it by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

He had accused Pakistan of harbouring terrorists who, he said, then allegedly “depart” into India from Pakistani soil. He also listed the alleged possibility of nuclear proliferation of Pakistan’s nuclear programme as a threat to the United States.

In private conversations, top government officials said that Pompeo’s allegations have no basis at all. “These are all pressure tactics, nothing else,” they said.

On Pulwama atack in the Indian Held Kashmir, they said Pakistan had examined New Delhi’s dossier provided to Islamabad. “The prime minister has also seen it, and the government will give its response soon.”

Officials, who have gone through the document, also said the dossier had nothing worth wasting time on.

The Pakistan Foreign Office has also suggested that India should come out of the denial mode and warned that baseless Indian allegations and aggressive rhetoric were counterproductive and a threat to regional peace.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, while responding to the Indian allegations, had said Pakistan wanted peace. “Our message is of peace, not war. If you have any actionable evidence, share it with us; we will investigate it with integrity and see what the reality is. Violence is not a strategy nor is it our government’s policy.”

Qureshi condemned the bombing, adding that he was “a litle sad” that without investigating the incident India had instantly levelled allegations against Pakistan in a “knee-jerk reaction”.

“You can throw the blame at us,” Qureshi said, noting that India only “took one minute” in accusing Pakistan. Regarding apprehensions of the United States regarding nuclear proliferation, government officials said these were mere pressure tactics. “You can throw the blame at us,” Qureshi said, noting that India only “took one minute” in accusing Pakistan.regarding apprehensions of the United States regarding nuclear proliferation, government officials said these were mere pressure tactics.