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NEW DELHI: Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar blamed Pakistan for an attack on Indian paramilitary soldiers in Pampore town of Indian-held Kashmir, ICNN News 18 reported on Sunday.
Parrikar termed the attack, which killed eight members of India’s Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), "an act of frustration by Pakistan".
“During the past year, we have eliminated over 25 terrorist from Pakistan who had infiltrated into our country. It was an act of frustration,” Parrikar said.
Related: Eight Indian soldiers killed in ambush in occupied Kashmir
Indian-held Kashmir's Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, in her condemnation message after the attack, said the people of Kashmir were the "worst sufferers" of such acts as the attacks deprive them of development and employment.
Four militants attacked a convoy carrying members of India’s Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) near Pampore town of Indian-held Kashmir, killing eight soldiers and wounding 20 more.
Earlier this month, Parrikar had said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had opened a window of goodwill and dialogue with Pakistan, which was closing as doubts remained about Pakistan's sincerity in tackling terrorism.
Also Read: Parrikar not to speak to media for six months
The statement was reciprocated by Pakistan's foreign policy chief Sartaj Aziz, who stated India never opened such a window for talks as the development in this regard was sabotaged when the talks between the two countries were postponed after the Pathankot attack.
Director General of India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) Sharad Kumar had also stated that there is no evidence of Pakistan government's involvement in the attack on Indian Air Force base in Pathankot.
Attack and its aftermath
The Pathankot air base attack occurred just days after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a 'surprise' visit to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on his birthday and the occasion of his granddaughter's wedding ─ a move that appeared to promise better relations between the neighbouring countries in the coming year.
After Modi's visit, the Pakistani and Indian foreign secretaries were scheduled to meet to discuss modalities regarding the Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue agreed upon during Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj's visit to Islamabad for the Heart of Asia conference in December.
The dialogue was to take on matters related to peace and security, Jammu and Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek, Wullar Barrage, Tulbul Navigation Project, economic and commercial cooperation, counter-terrorism, narcotics control and humanitarian issues, people to people exchanges and religious tourism.
A five-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the Pathankot air base attack arrived in New Delhi in March, with Indian media reports claiming Lt-Col Tanvir Ahmed was the first ISI officer to visit an Indian military facility with official permission.
The Indian defence minister claimed before the team reached India that the militants could not have carried out the attack without Islamabad's support.
Pakistan, taking positive steps to build confidence with its nuclear neighbour, cracked down on Jaish-i-Muhammad and took the group's leader Masood Azhar into protective custody.
A later move by India to ban Jaish-i-Muhammad chief Masood Azhar at the United Nations (UN) was blocked by China.
The UN banned Jaish in 2001 but India’s efforts to get restrictions imposed on Azhar after the Mumbai attacks did not bear fruit because China did not allow them to be imposed.
