New Delhi, Feb 15 (UNI) Launching the diplomatic offensive to isolate Pakistan and to expose its double standards on terrorism, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale on Friday met 25 Heads of Missions in India and briefed about role of western neighbour in supporting and encouraging the killer menace.
"All the Heads of Missions were left in no doubt about the role played by Pakistan and that it had supported Jaish e Mohammed in the terrorist attack," an informed source later said.
It was underlined in no uncertain language that Pakistan should "cease forthwith all support and financing to terror groups operating from areas under their control".
Foreign Secretary also highlighted the role played by Pakistan in using terrorism as an 'instrument of its state policy' - a state India has been highlighting in various global fora over the years.
The Ministry of External Affairs will continue to take "all steps to expose" the complicity of Pakistan in the Pulwama terrorist attack and demand immediate and "verifiable action against Jaish-e-Mohammed and its leader Masood Azhar".
Mr Gokhale undertook the major diplomatic exercise underlining to foreign envoys the role of Pakistan in supporting terror "as part of continuing diplomatic efforts on the matter".
Foreign Secretary met around 25 Heads of Mission based in New Delhi from all P-5 countries, all South Asian countries and other important partners like Japan, Germany, Republic of Korea and others, sources said.
Mr Gokhale also summoned Pakistan envoy Sohail Mahmood and gave him a strong demarche on the Pulwama attack on a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi categorically said several countries have already started appreciating India's stand.
'The messages I have been getting since Pulwama attack have shown that the International community is equally pained and anguished due to dastardly act and wants to crush the menace,' the Prime Minister said at a function at Jhansi in UP.
Earlier in the morning, the Prime Minister presided over a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security which decided among other things to withdraw Most Favoured Nation status given to the western neighbour in 1990s.
The Foreign Secretary conveyed to Pakistan envoy that his country must take immediate and verifiable action against the JeM and that it must immediately stop any groups or individuals associated with terrorism operating from its territories, sources said.
India also rejected the statement made by the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan on the incident.
UNI DEVN SHK2038