Pakistan’s High Commissioner to New Delhi Abdul Basit in an interview with India Today rejected Indian claims of a ‘surgical strike’ across the Line of Control (LoC) on Wednesday.

“As far as the government of Pakistan is concerned, there was no surgical strike whatsoever, otherwise they would have responded immediately,” he said.

When ‘video evidence’ of the strike was brought up during the interview, Basit rubbished the claim. “There can’t be any video… Because the surgical strike did not take place.”

“No surgical strike across the LoC was conducted in the dark hours of Sept 29,” he reiterated.

‘Closing all doors for cooperation’
Responding to a question about investigation into the Uri attack, Basit said, “We would like to get out of this blame game, so why not get an international investigation into this incident?”

“You did not leave any room for cooperation. When you start blaming Pakistan and terming us as a terrorist state, you are closing all the doors for cooperation,” the high commissioner said.

“If India believes Pakistan has done it then the best way forward would be to have an international probe.”

The high commissioner added that when both sides commence a dialogue process, resolution of issues can be taken forward.

“When we’re not talking to each other, then this cooperation is not possible,” Basit said, adding that Pakistan’s investigation into the Pathankot air base attack was ongoing.

‘Some forces trying to undermine Pakistan’
When questioned about Balochistan, the Basit said, “The people of Balochistan are as patriotic as people in other parts of Pakistan but we do have worries because there is a larger question of a foreign agenda of destabilising Pakistan,” he said.

“You would recall that earlier this year we arrested a man called Kulbhushan Jadhav, and that corroborated what Pakistan has been saying all along. So to that extent, we are worried… Some forces are trying to undermine Pakistan,” he added.

‘Saarc a collective loss’
The high commissioner termed postponement of the Saarc summit a “collective loss” for all countries involved. “We are confident that Pakistan will host the 19th summit ─ if not this year, then sometime next year,” Basit said.