Pakistani information minister Ataullah Tarar got schooled by Sky News anchor Yalda Hakim shortly after India struck terrorist camps and infrastructure at nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir early Wednesday as payback for the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22.

In a clip that is blitzing through social media, Tarar said for India “to target civilian population, it's extremely unfortunate.”

Yalda Hakim let loose: “Just to point out, minister, the Indian armed forces say that altogether nine sites have been targeted, that they haven't hit any Pakistani military facilities. These are terrorist camps that they are hitting.”

Tarar tried the perfidy that Pakistan is famous for.

“Let me make it very clear, there are no terrorist camps in Pakistan,” he declared. “Pakistan is a victim of terrorism. We are fighting the terrorists in our western regions, on our western borders. We are the frontline state against terrorism. We've laid down 90,000 lives in this war against terrorism.”

He also sought to link India to the train hijacking in Balochistan.

“India, on the other hand, when we had the Jaffar Express hijacking, an intense hijacking incident, India did not even condemn it, let alone express some concern about that incident. So India has been sponsoring terrorism by assassinating Sikhs in US, in Canada, in Australia. We captured a spy by the name of Kalbhushan Yadav, who's a commissioned naval officer,” he said.

The anchor shot back: “Can I just point out to you, on my programme just a week ago, your defence minister, Khawaja Asif, admitted that Pakistan has for decades had a policy of funding, backing and using terrorist groups as proxies in the country. In 2018, President Donald Trump cut military aid to Pakistan because he accused Pakistan of playing a double game. So when you say there are no terrorist camps in Pakistan, that is going against what General Pervez Musharraf has said, what Benazir Bhutto has said, what your defence minister said just a week ago. In fact, what Bilawal Bhutto said to me a few days ago, he said that terrorism and funding and backing terrorist organisations has been and was part of Pakistan's history.”

The Pakistani minister quickly interjected: “Post 9-11, let's talk about post 9-11 scenario. And let me be very clear, post 9-11, Pakistan was the frontline state and we still are the frontline state in eliminating terrorism. You see, when we are the guarantors of world peace, because we are a wall between the terrorists and the rest of the world. You must, I would like to invite you to Pakistan to come and see this.”

Cool as a few cucumbers, the anchor replied: “I have been to Pakistan, sir. And we know that Osama bin Laden was also discovered in Abbottabad in Pakistan. So these accusations on Pakistan, including your defence minister making the admission, is there.”

Tarar sought to deflect the heat by saying that the Pakistani defence minister had been "misinterpreted".

“You see, there was a Soviet invasion back in the ’80s.And obviously, we were countering the Soviet invasion at that point in time. That's part of history. And we were allies of the US. So post 9-11, the scenario changed completely. (2:51) And Pakistan made a lot of sacrifices. Pakistan is still laying down lives against terrorists. Even today in Balochistan, there was a terrorist attack. We lost seven soldiers. So you see Pakistani politicians, Pakistani soldiers, Pakistani officers, Pakistani military, Pakistani police, they've been giving numerous sacrifices.

“So there's no question at all, madam, of having terrorist camps in Pakistan,” he added.

The anchor’s reply: “Well, that contradicts Western intelligence, you know, the State Department. But I just want to focus you on this particular incident, sir. How will Pakistan now respond?”

Tarar wanted to stick to his point.

“You see, let me just conclude the previous argument by saying that when we captured this wanted terrorist on the Afghan border, President Trump, in his State of the Union address, actually appreciated Pakistan's efforts in the war against terrorism and how Pakistan is dealing with these terrorists, how we are capturing them, how we are going after them, how they are being eliminated.”

Cue for some more burn from Yalda Hakim: “Up until a few years ago, sir, Pakistan was on a grey list of state sponsoring of terrorism, just a few years ago. So I know you want to take this back to the 1980s. But the point is that this is something that Pakistan has long been accused of, and that's why India has pointed the finger of blame on Pakistan for the Pahalgam attack.”