• The European Union (EU) and Germany have asked Pakistan to act on terror in a call made by Pakistani foreign minister to EU’s and Germany foreign minister to brief about the situation of heightened tension post-Pulwama attack.

About:

• The attack on 14th February killed more than 40 CRPF personnel was claimed by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).
• EU High Representative for foreign affairs and security policy had called Pakistan to not only act on United Nations listed terrorist but also individuals.
• She had highlighted the “need to continue addressing terrorism including clear and sustained actions targeting not only all UN-listed transnational terrorist groups but also individuals claiming responsibility for such attacks.”
• In a press release issued by EU it “stressed the urgency to de-escalate the situation” arising between the two nuclear powers India and Pakistan.
• In a tweet, German’s foriegn ministry said, “Pakistan resolutely needs to put a stop to cross-border terrorism.”
• The tweet also called on India and Pakistan “to work to de-escalate the situation.” “The European Union’s policy has always been to promote a dialogue between Pakistan and India to sort out differences… [Pakistan] needs to continue addressing terrorism including clear and sustained actions targeting not only all UN-listed terrorist groups but also individuals claiming responsibility for such attacks,” the statement said.
• The statements shared a sharp tone in telling Pakistan to act against the Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Taiba and other banned groups, something welcomed by External Affairs Ministry officials.

Pakistan Version

• But what is interesting to note is, the release issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of foreign affairs (MOFA) on the same conversations makes no mention of terror.
• Instead, it said that the Pakistani foreign minister has expressed his readiness to his EU and German counterparts to investigate the Pulwama terror attack if India shares “actionable intelligence” and went on to rake the Kashmir issue.
• Pakistani foriegn Minister post-Pulwama has been calling countries across the world but none of the releases by Pakistani foriegn ministry mentions the issue of terror.

US:

• In August of 2018 US secretary of state, had called newly-elected Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan asking to act on terror among other things according to a readout by United States- State Department.
• The Pak Mofa was quick to point out publically in a tweet saying this is “factually incorrect statement issued by the US State Department” but the state department continued to stand by its read-out.
• Calling on Pakistan to take “clear and sustainable” actions against terror groups including those who have taken responsibility for the Pulwama attack, the European Union joined a number of international entities attempting to defuse tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad over the weekend.