In a shocking goof up, Pakistan’s foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has admitted on record that the Pakistani government is in contact with the JeM leadership. He even quickly attempted to salvage the situation by hastening to tell that they don’t know JeM leadership directly, but they know people who are connected with them.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lxafFJLrqI?start=125]

In an interview that was shared by BBC yesterday, Shah Mehmood Qureshi is seen profusely defending the Jaish-e-Mohammad. When the interviewer says that JeM has claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack that killed 40 Indian soldiers, Qureshi flatly denies it. He says that JeM has not claimed the responsibility and it is false.

When the interviewer reminds him that JeM, a Pakistan based terrorist group has carried out an attack on Indian territory, Qureshi says that “No, they have not.” The interviewer goes ahead to ask that if he (Qureshi) is denying that JeM is operating on Pakistani soil. Mehmood, at this point, says,” The leadership, when contacted, says they have not”.

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At this point, the interviewer presses him, “Contacted by who sir?” Qureshi seems to have realised his mistake and fumbles for words. He then say , the people over here say no, they deny. The interviewer presses on, asking who exactly have contacted the JeM leadership. Qureshi, scrambling to cover up, says there are people who are known to them and there is a lot of confusion over JeM being involved in the Pulwama attack.

BBC interview (done earlier today) with with #Pakistan FM Qureshi, where he acknowledges Jaish-e-Mohammed leadership has been contacted by “people over here.” When asked who exactly—“people who are known to them.” The proper term might be “handlers”?https://t.co/eTaPHpVYQG — Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) March 1, 2019

Earlier this week, Qureshi had admitted in an interview by CNN that JeM chief Masood Azhar is in Pakistan and he is very unwell, to the extent that he cannot move out of his house.

The government of Pakistan has long been harbouring, aiding and even shielding globally known terrorist on their soil. The recent revelations only strengthen that fact. Showing a remarkable level of impunity, they also have the guts to claim before the world that they are a victim of terrorism.

Also read: 14 IAF planes entered Pakistan, four of them bombed Masood Azhar’s camp, says Pakistan Rail Minister

The extent to which Pakistan can go to shield terrorists is evident from the fact that in retaliation to Indian Air Force jets bombing a JeM run training camp, Pakistan had sent F16s over the Indian sky to target our military installations.