Pakistan building terror infra with funds from IMF: Rajnath

Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Friday urged the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to reconsider its $1 billion financial assistance to Pakistan and stop future support, saying that Islamabad was again trying to rebuild the terror infrastructure taken down by New Delhi and adding that such aid will be used for funding terrorism.

- Rahul Singh and Maulik Pathak

[e-mail] NEW DELHI/AHMEDABAD: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Friday urged the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to reconsider its $1 billion financial assistance to Pakistan and stop future support, saying that Islamabad was again trying to rebuild the terror infrastructure taken down by New Delhi and adding that such aid will be used for funding terrorism.

He questioned if the bailout to Pakistan was tantamount to indirect funding of terror by the global organisation in what was New Delhi's latest push to isolate Islamabad globally.

Singh also warned Islamabad that it was currently "on probation" under the May 10 understanding that ended four days of fierce fighting. "If the behaviour improves, it is fine; but if there is any disturbance, harshest punishment will be given," he said. "Our actions were just a trailer, we will show the full picture, if need be. Attacking and eliminating terrorism is the new normal of new India," he said.

Operation Sindoor, which began in the early hours of May 7, was New Delhi's response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.