Allegations against Pakistan of patronising militants 'unfounded': Jilani

WASHINGTON: Pakistan took indiscriminate action against all militant outfits including the Haqqani Network in operation Zarb-e-Azb, said its Ambassador to the United States (US) Jalil Abbas Jilani on Saturday, adding that the allegations against it of patronising militants were 'unfounded'.

In an interview to a US broadcaster, Jalil Abbas Jilani denied allegations against Pakistan of patronising militants noting that the Pakistani armed forces wiped out over 4000 terrorists from their soil during operation Zarb-e-Azb. "Pakistan has also been fighting against the proxies dating back to the Cold War era," he added.

In response to a question pertaining to India, the ambassador said that we don't want tensions between two nuclear-armed neighbors to escalate, however, Pakistan reserves the right of defending itself in the face of any adventure.

"We are capable of fully responding to any aggression with appropriate force," he added.

Asked about India's claims of surgical strikes, Jilani said that the assertions were far from reality.