Pakistan has evidence India is behind terrorism on its soil, attack on APS: Moeed Yusuf

(Karachi) Prime Minister's Advisor on National Security and Strategic Policy Planning Moeed Yusuf has said there is evidence that India is funding terrorist activities in Pakistan. He added that the handler of the 2014 terrorist attack on Army Public School in Peshawar was in touch with an Indian consulate.

He expressed these views during his first interview to Indian media after Modi-led BJP government made constitutional changes in Jammu and Kashmir's special status in August last year. Moeed discussed a wide range of issues including Jammu and Kashmir, Kulbhushan Jadhav case, 2008 Mumbai attack, terrorism etc.

He said that India is inflicting terror in Pakistan. "We have the phone number of the handler’s contact and the evidence of India's involvement in terrorist activities on Pakistan's soil," he said.

He highlighted that in 2019, the Indian Embassy in Kabul had given $1 million to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan to help it merge with four other militant groups.

He also pointed out that the Indian Embassy in Afghanistan is using think-tanks as a means to fund local parties in Balochistan to spread terrorism in the country. The advisor mentioned that the Balochistan National Army commander had been treated in a hospital in Delhi.

He said Pakistan has concrete evidence of India's involvement in attacks on stock exchange, Chinese Consulate and other terrorist activities.

IOJK issue

Regarding the Indian Occupied Jammu Kashmir issue, Moeed Yusuf said: "As a precondition to commence talks, Kashmiris would have to be a third party and India must reverse the military siege in Kashmir and roll back the new domicile law."

"We have got a message for a desire for conversation.” He said that Pakistan is also willing to discuss terror with India. Moeed added Prime Minister Imran Khan wanted a peaceful neighbourhood but India's expansionist and Hindutva policies were the main hurdles in the way of peace.

He stated that Pakistan is willing to start talks with India on Kashmir issue but insisted that Kashmiris must be a third party at these talks. He maintained, “We must sit down like adults." The advisor said Pakistan stands for peace and we want to move forward.

He remarked, "Kashmiris hate Indians." He said it is up to the India to bring the Kashmiri leaders to table for discussion.

The security advisor said, "The constitutional changes of August 2019 are not an internal matter. They were a matter for the UN."

Uighur treatment

To a question on Prime Minister Imran Khan’s silence on the Uighurs while making accusations of genocide in Kashmir, Moeed said this is a false equivalence.

He said the Uighurs is not an issue anymore. "I have personally studied the matter in detail and am hundred percent satisfied that the Uighurs are being treated properly by the Chinese government and that there is no problem."

Kulbhushan Jadhav case

Speaking about Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, Yusuf said there is no law that allows an Indian lawyer to argue a case in Pakistani court. He stated, "India has been caught with its pants down."

Moeed said Pakistan tried its best to give consular access to Jadhav but the response from Indian government has been weak. He said India is not willing to provide consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav.

2008 Mumbai attack

Speaking about the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, Yusuf said India is deliberately delaying sending evidence and witnesses because it wants to keep the issue alive and use it to run down Pakistan in front of the world.

He said that from day one, Pakistan is asking India to provide evidence but it is deliberately delaying it.

Taking a swipe at India's Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Moeed said his goal is to increase the political space for his prime minister rather create chaos and instigate cross border tension.