India on Friday hit out at Pakistan for questioning the ruling of a special court in Panchkula acquitting all the four accused in the Samjhauta Express blast base, saying Islamabad was doing so to deflect attention from the “mess” in which Pakistan was.

“There was a complete lack of understanding on the part of Pakistan about the fact that the judiciary was independent in India and this was acknowledged by the entire international community,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said at a media briefing.

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The due process of law was followed by the Indian courts and the judicial system in a transparent manner, he added.

His comments came two days after Pakistan summoned India’s acting High Commissioner in Islamabad to the foreign office and condemned acquittal of all the four accused, including Swami Aseemanand.

The Indian spokesperson said instead of questioning the judgments of Indian courts, Pakistan should take credible and irreversible steps to containing cross-border terrorism emanating from its soil.

“Pakistan,” he said, “was interfering in the internal affairs of India with a view to deflect attention from the pressure being mounted on it by the global community on the issue of terrorism as also the mess the country was in economically.”

He also lashed out at Pakistan for not cooperating with India in investigating the case, including serving summons to Pakistani witnesses.

Asked if the European Union (EU) had informed India about its proposal to declare JeM chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, he said France had informed New Delhi that it had already banned Azhar at the national level and had taken up the issue with the EU too.

The spokesperson said the EU would make an announcement about banning the JeM chief only after completing its discussions on the issue since all decisions were taken by the 27-member body unanimously.