India, May 12 -- Pakistan's defence minister Khawaja Asif said that the country no longer shelters terrorists or terror groups, saying that those residing in Pakistan do not engage in any terrorist activities either within Pakistan or across the border in India.

When asked by a BBC journalist earlier this month if Pakistan harbours terrorists, he referred to the issue as "these things (terrorism) are from our past."

His comments come amidst heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist outfits in Pakistan. This led to retaliatory actions, including drone attacks and shelling in...