NEW DELHI: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, in an interview to an Indian media outlet on Wednesday, declined to hold Pakistan responsible for Pulwama incident without prior evidence.
Al-Jubeir – who is a part of Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman’s delegation presently in India – dismissed the Indian allegations of Pakistan’s involvement in the incident and said that “how can we blame them [Pakistan] if we do not have sufficient evidence before us”.
When asked about rising tension between Pakistan and India, he said that “terrorism is a mutual threat [to India and Pakistan] and [we hope that] both the countries will work together to eliminate it”.
Following his much-hyped visit to Pakistan, the Saudi prince is presently in India as part of a comprehensive Asia tour which aims to open new economic doors to lessen the Kingdom’s dependence on a crude oil-based economy.
Relations between Pakistan and India have touched a new low after over 40 paramilitary personnel were killed in Kashmir’s Pulwama district by a suicide bomber.
The car bomb attack considered the worst ever on security personnel in the state, was reportedly claimed by militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad and carried out by a 20-year-old Kashmiri man.
India held Pakistan responsible for the bombing soon after the attack and withdrew its ‘Most Favoured Nation’ status. Pakistan denies all the charges.
“We strongly reject any insinuation by elements in the Indian media and government that seek to link the attack to Pakistan without investigations,” Pakistan’s Foreign Office said in a follow-up statement.
