Pak admits Pathankot attack generated from its soil: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi

Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Monday said that Pakistan for the first time has admitted that a terror attack like the Pathankot strike was generated from its soil.

"This is the first time Pakistan admitted that the action was generated from its land. It is also the first time that all countries sided with India, unlike on previous occasions," the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs told a public meeting at Kute, about 18 km from here.

The Modi government had asked Islamabad to take action against the perpetrators in the Pathankot terror attack and that the country would not sit silently without a concrete response, he said. "I assure you that the country's security is in safe and strong hands. Nobody can hurt the country's interest," he said and warned that those who would try to harm the nation would be dealt with strongly.

He said the Centre had also protected the Indian economy amidst the "shaken economies" of China, the US, Japan and several other countries. Under these circumstances, the Indian economy was safe and secure because of its people and a strong leadership, Naqvi said.

Referring to media queries about the threat of ISIS and al-Qaida, he said, "I am proud and glad that ISIS/al-Qaida like organisations are unsuccessful in putting their foot in this country because of the nationalistic feelings of the Muslims. And such forces will never be successful." Naqvi is on a two-day tour of Ranchi to take the feedback of people for the next central budget.