External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday told a parliamentary panel that Pakistan was informed by the DGMO about Indian strikes on terror camps in their territory only after they were executed, sources said.
He also said he never spoke to Pakistan and cleared the air about alleged US “interference”, saying the decision to halt the military operation was taken bilaterally after a request from the Pakistan side.
Addressing members of the Consultative Committee on External Affairs here, the minister said the cessation of Operation Sindoor was done only after Pakistan DGMO asked for the halting of hostilities and there was no question of US mediation between the two, the sources said.
The Congress and Rahul Gandhi have been targeting Jaishankar, alleging that he had informed Pakistan beforehand about the Indian strikes at terror camps.
The sources said the minister told the MPs at the meeting that only the DGMOs of the countries spoke to each other and no other Indian official spoke with the Pakistani side.
He said the US was urging India to speak with Pakistan and it was told that terror and talks would not go together, he said.
Responding to several queries posed by MPs during the meeting about the halting of Operation Sindoor and the US “interference”, the External Affairs Minister told MPs at the meeting that the DGMO had informed his Pakistani counterpart that if they would fire, India would fire back.
He said the targeted strikes at terror camps in Pakistan also hit the morale of Pakistani forces.
The sources said the minister sought the cooperation of all MPs in “exposing” Pakistan across the world. He said that is why the government has sent multi-party delegations of MPs to various countries to put across India’s united message against terrorism to the world.
Jaishankar shared pictures of chairing the Consultative Committee Meeting of MEA on X.
“Discussed Operation Sindoor and India’s zero-tolerance policy against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Underlined the importance of sending a strong and united message in that regard,” the minister also said.
While Foreign Secretary Vikram Mistry gave a presentation on Operation Sindoor to the MPs at the meeting, Jaishankar responded to queries later.
The sources said the Congress members asked the government why India was “hyphenated” with Pakistan by the US and also raised the issue of IMF aid to Pakistan and India’s abstention at the meet.
They said the Congress also raised concerns over Pakistan’s growing relationship with China. (Agencies)
