The European Union (EU) has asked Pakistan to act on terror during a call made by Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to an EU representative and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. The call was made to brief them about the heightened tension in the subcontinent after the Pulwama attack.

The February 14 attack killed more than 40 CRPF personnel and was claimed by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad.

EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy Federica Mogherini called on Pakistan to act against terrorists listed by the United Nations.

She highlighted the "need to continue addressing terrorism with clear and sustained actions targeting not only all UN-listed transnational terrorist groups but also individuals claiming responsibility for such attacks."

A release issued by EU on the call "stressed the urgency to de-escalate the situation" arising between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan.

In a tweet, German's foreign ministry said, "Pakistan resolutely needs to put a stop to cross-border terrorism."

However, a release issued by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on the same conversation makes no mention of terror. Instead, it says the Pakistani foreign minister has expressed his readiness before his EU and German counterparts to investigate the Pulwama attack if India shares "actionable intelligence". It goes on to rake the Kashmir issue.

Qureshi has been calling his counterparts across the world but no release by his ministry mentions the issue of terror.

This is not the first time Pakistani MOFA has issued a release with lacunae. Last August, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had called Pakistani PM Imran Khan asking him to act on terror, as per a readout by the US State Department. But Pakistani MOFA was quick to tweet that this was a "factually incorrect statement issued by US State Department".

DIALLING CHINA

Pak Foreign Minister SM Qureshi also phoned his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Monday and briefed him about the regional situation after Pulwama attack. “He agreed the situation (had) implications for regional security,” his office said.