India asks Pakistan to investigate
drone presence in Indian mission

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NEW DELHI: Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed that a drone was spotted at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad on June 26.  MEA said it has taken up the matter officially with Pakistan and has asked for an investigation.

 “Drone was spotted over the premises of Indian High Commission in Islamabad on June 26 this year. This has been taken up officially with the Government of Pakistan. We expect Pakistan to investigate the incident and prevent recurrence of such breach of security,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at the weekly media briefing.  

ANI has learnt that the drone that was spotted inside the premises of the mission was allegedly on a snooping mission and was trying to capture footage of a diplomatic event.

It has been seen as a big security breach by India. This comes in the backdrop of the Jammu incident where drones dropped explosive material inside the air force station.

Indian Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi

Security agencies are investigating the matter and have said that Pakistan’s role in the incident cannot be ruled out.

The National Investigation Agency is probing the incident which is seen as a very serious and new security challenge for India.

Terror network

Meanwhile, India on Friday called upon Pakistan to take credible, verifiable and irreversible action against terrorist networks and proxies operating from its territory and to speedily prosecute the perpetrators and planners of the attacks in Mumbai and Pathankot.

In a media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “We call upon Pakistan to take credible, verifiable, and irreversible action against terrorist network and proxies operating from territory under its control and to bring the preparators of terrorist attacks including the 26th November Mumbai attack, and Pathankot attack to justice.”

On 26 November 2008, terrorists affiliated with the Lashkar-e-Taiba carried a series of coordinated attacks on several locations across the city of Mumbai. The heinous attack lasted four days and a total of 164 people were killed.

The 2016 Pathankot airbase attack was a terrorist attack orchestrated by the Jaish-e-Mohammed terror outfit.

Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has retained Pakistan in the  ‘Grey list’ that amply denotes that the nation is still recognised as a safe haven for supporting terror funding and money laundering, Bagchi said, “As far as, terrorism and terror-financing is concerned, we have zero tolerance policy, we condemn terrorism in all its form and manifestation, all countries must take credible action against terrorism, including by putting an end to cross-border movement of terrorist, ending terrorist safe heaven and infrastructure and their financing channels.”

FATF President Dr Marcus Pleyer said Pakistan will remain on the grey list till it addresses all items on the original action plan agreed to in June 2018 as well as all items on a parallel action plan handed out by the watchdog’s regional partner – the Asia Pacific Group (APG) – in 2019. (ANI)