LeT, JeM on our soil, what's the big surprise: Pakistan admits

"The entire world is pointing fingers towards us and we must put things in order,” said Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif

Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif acknowledged the existence of LeT and JeM on Pakistan's soil

ISLAMABAD: In a massive victory for India, Pakistan on Tuesday night admitted that banned militant groups Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) exist and operate from their soil.

Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, in an interview to Geo.tv, acknowledged the existence of such LeT and JeM among the internationally banned outfits operating from within Pakistan.

“What's the big surprise about this? We (Pakistan) too has banned these proscribed organisations,” Asif told the anchor, further adding that the country has been trying to fight them for the last three years.

The acknowledgement comes a day after BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) nations unanimously condemned the violence carried out by terrorist groups, including LeT, JeM based out of Pakistan.

Asif went on to explain that BRICS concerns should not be considered as China's official stance on militant groups.

“China should not be tested [every time], particularly in the changed scenario," said the minister while reffering to China's silence on the matter 2016 BRICS conference held in India.

The minister advocated the imposing “some restrictions” on the activities of elements like LeT and JeM, “so that we (Pakistan) can show the global community that we have put our house in order."

Asif further admitted that the Foreign Ministry had published an advertisement, requesting people to avoid donating hides of sacrificial animals to proscribed organisations.

“The entire world is pointing fingers towards us and we must put things in order,” said the minister.

"Not making a political statement here. But I am telling you a fact. We will continue to face such embarrassment till the time we keep our eyes off these organisations in our country," he said.

The minister admitted that a clean break is required from our past. "In 1979, we made a wrong decision and acted like a proxy for the entire next decade. After 9/11, we again made a wrong decision and adopted a war which was never ours. We have bore uncountable losses of lives and properties in this war," he said.

Last month US President Donald Trump blasted at Pakistan while unveiling the new Afghan policy, for providing a "safe haven" to terror groups.

The minister, however, dismissed the theory of Pakistani soil being used for terrorism. "Pakistan has nothing to do with the terrorism. We have to tell the world."