A senior Pakistan
minister sensationally admitted on Thursday his country’s role in the 2019 terrorist
attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama, claiming the operation was a major
success under Prime Minister Imran Khan’s leadership, reported news agency PTI.

“Humne
Hindustan ko ghus ke maara (We hit India in their home). Our success in
Pulwama, is a success of this nation under the leadership of Imran Khan. You
and us are all part of that success,” Science and Technology Minister
Fawad Chaudhary said during a National Assembly debate.

This comes a day after Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ayaz Sadiq claimed Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi “pleaded” for the release of Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman in an important victory. 

Abhinandan was captured by Pakistani forces on February 27, 2019 after his MiG-21 Bison jet was shot down in a dogfight with Pakistani Air Force jets. 

In reply to the Pulwama terror attack – on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy on February 14, 2019 which claimed the lives of 40 personnel – IAF jets bombed Jaish-e-Mohammad camps in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Balakot in the early hours of February 26. 

Pakistan had thus far distanced itself from the Pulwama attacks, with Jaish-e-Mohammad claiming responsibility for the suicide bombing. This is the first time the government has admitted its role in the attack.

Recollecting a meeting, which was also attended by Pakistan”s Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Sadiq said Qureshi was “perspiring” and his “legs were shaking”. 

“For God’s sake, let him (Varthaman) go back now because India is attacking Pakistan at 9 PM in the night,” Sadiq recalled Qureshi saying. 

He further stated that the government wanted to “kneel before India and send Abhinandan back” despite “India not planning to attack”. 

In charge of the Information and Broadcast Ministry at the time of the Pulwama attack, Chaudhary slammed Sadiq’s comments and labelled them “inappropriate”.