Ajay Bisaria, India's High Commissioner to Pakistan, called to New Delhi for consultation

Ajay Bisaria, Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, has been called to New Delhi for consultations in the wake of Thursday's Pulwama attack, according to news agency ANI. Bisaria will Pakistan on Friday night for Delhi for the consultations on Saturday. A Jaish suicide bomber on Thursday rammed a car packed with explosives into a CRPF convoy on the Jammu-Srinagar highway, killing at least 40 personnel -- one of the bloodiest in Kashmir. Initial reports, quoting security officials, had said 44 jawans were feared to have been killed in the attack. Prior to this appointment, Bisaria was earlier served as the Private Secretary to the then Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

As India grapples with the shock and grief of the Pulwama terror attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday issued a stern warning to the terrorists and said they have to pay heavy price. Addressing the media in New Delhi after the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting, PM Modi said: “Our security forces have been given free hand. The forces behind this act of terrorism and those responsible for it, will be definitely be punished,” he said. “If our neighbour which is totally isolated in the world thinks it can destabilise India through its tactics and conspiracies, then it is making a big mistake,” PM Modi said without naming Pakistan.

“I exhort all to unite and fight against the scourge of terror. Our bravehearts put their lives on the line to achieve two things - security and development. I salute the them. 130 crore Indians will give a fitting reply to such an attack,” PM Modi said at the launch of the Vande Bharat Express.

Pakistan issued a midnight statement condemning the attack. However, Islamabad rejected that it was in any way involved in the attack. "We strongly reject any insinuation by elements in the Indian government and media circles that seek to link the attack to the State of Pakistan without investigations," the Foreign Office added.