Captured Indian pilot not released under any pressure or compulsion: FM Qureshi

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Saturday refuted the impression that captured Indian pilot Abhinandan Varthaman was released owing to pressure or as a compulsion.

In an interview with BBC Urdu, the foreign minister said, "Pakistan will not allow anti-state elements to risk the peace of the country or the region. We plan on taking action against extremist groups."

The government will not allow any militia or militant organisation to use weapons or to spread terrorism through their use.

If any group does this, then the government plans to take action against them, Qureshi added.

Regarding Pakistan's release of captured Indian pilot Abhinandan, the foreign minister, "There was no pressure on Pakistan to release him nor any compulsion."

We wanted to convey to them that we do not want to increase your sorrow, we do not want your citizens to be miserable, we want peace, he asserted.

Pakistan does not want the peace of the region to be risked over politics, the foreign minister further said.

Stating that "Pakistan does not want to go in the past", Qureshi said, But if it goes in the past, then we will have to seen how the attack on Parliament, Pathankot and Udi took place and that is a long story.

The foreign minister further said, If evidence is shared against Jaish-e-Muhammad, then action will be take.