Pakistan reacts to PM Modi's remarks on surgical strikes during London event

Speaking at the 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' programme at iconic Central Hall in Westminister in London, Modi said that Islamabad was informed about the 2016 surgical strike before this was made known to the media.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with the members of the Indian community, at ‘Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath’ an interactive programme, at Westminster, London on Wednesday. PTI Photo

NEW DELHI: In a stern warning to Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an event in London on Wednesday said India will not tolerate those who like to export terror and will give back "strong answers". His statement was in reference to the 2016 surgical strikes conducted across the LoC. Modi had termed the surgical strikes of September 29, 2016 an answer to the "exporters of terrorism". Speaking at the 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' programme at iconic Central Hall in Westminister in London, Modi said that Islamabad was informed about the 2016 surgical strike before this was made known to the media. "I said before India gets to know, we should call Pakistan and tell them. We were calling them since 11 AM but they were scared to come on phone, at 12 we spoke to them and then told the Indian media," Modi had said. Reacting to Prime Minister Modi's remarks, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said on Thursday India's claims about the "surgical strike were false and baseless". "Repeating a lie doesn't turn it into the truth," the spokesperson was quoted as saying by Dawn. In response to Modi's comments on Pakistan exporting terrorism, Faisal claimed that it was the other way around and accused India of backing terrorists in Pakistan. "Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav is proof of Indian state-sponsored terrorism," he alleged. (With inputs from agencies)