India warns of ‘befitting reply’ to Pakistan over Kashmir attack, which left 44 troops dead
- Pakistan-based JeM claimed responsibility for a car bomb that killed the police in one of the deadliest attacks ever in Kashmir
“We will give a befitting reply, our neighbour will not be allowed to destabilise us,” Modi said in a speech, after meeting with security advisers earlier to discuss options.
India said it had “incontrovertible evidence” of the Pakistan involvement in the attack. The Pakistan government responded with a stiff denial, while calling the attack a matter of “grave concern.”
As outrage and demands for revenge flooded Indian social media sites, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley spelt out New Delhi’s diplomatic response.
“The ministry of external affairs will initiate all possible steps, and I am here referring to all possible diplomatic steps, which have to be taken to ensure the complete isolation from the international community of Pakistan,” Jaitley told reporters.
The first step, he said, would include removing most favoured nation (MFN) trade privileges that had been accorded to Pakistan - though annual bilateral trade between the two countries is barely $2 billion.