'India desires normal relation with Pakistan but...': MEA responds to Shehbaz Sharif
Bilateral relations between New Delhi and Islamabad have soured in the past few years as Islamabad is not cracking down on terrorist organisations - operating from its soil - targeting India.
- Aug 3, 2023,
- Updated Aug 3, 2023 5:43 PM IST
Two days after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Islamabad was ready to hold talks with its 'neighbour', India on Thursday responded by saying it also wants good relations with all its neighbours but for that, a terror-free environment was needed.
Bilateral relations between New Delhi and Islamabad have soured in the past few years as Islamabad is not cracking down on terrorist organisations - operating from its soil - targeting India. New Delhi has refused to hold any bilateral talks with Islamabad until it stops facilitating terrorism in India.
Without naming India, Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said Pakistan was ready to hold talks with its neighbour on serious issues as wars were not an option anymore. "We are prepared to talk to them, provided that the neighbour is serious to talk on serious matters...because war is no more an option," the Pakistan PM said in an apparent reference to India.
Responding to this, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said has seen the reports about Sharif's comment for talks. "India's clear and consistent position is well known...we desire normal, neighbourly relations with all our neighbours including Pakistan. But for this, an environment free of terror and hostility is imperative."
In December last year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said there would be no compromise on the core issues because no country has suffered from terrorism as much as India. He said New Delhi had been very clear that it will not normalise and rationalise terrorism.
"We will never allow terrorism to force us to the negotiating table. We want good neighbourly relations with everybody, but that does not mean excusing or looking away or rationalising terrorism," the foreign minister said without mentioning Pakistan.
In May this year, Pakistan foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited India to attend a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). This was the first such high-level visit to India from Pakistan since 2011. During the visit, India and Pakistan did not hold any bilateral talks.
While many hoped that Bilawal Bhutto's visit may open doors for future dialogues, the Pakistan foreign minister spoiled the opportunity by raking up human rights issues in Kashmir again and objected to New Delhi holding G20 meeting in Jammu and Kashmir.
Jaishankar hit back at Bilawal Bhutto and called him a "promoter, justifier and a spokesperson" of the terrorism industry. The EAM said that Pakistan's credibility in dealing with terrorism is depleting even faster than its forex reserves.
When asked whether there could be talks between India and Pakistan on combating the menace, Jaishankar said, "Victims of terrorism do not sit together with perpetrators of terrorism to discuss terrorism." He also asserted that Jammu and Kashmir "was, is and will" always be part of India.
Two days after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Islamabad was ready to hold talks with its 'neighbour', India on Thursday responded by saying it also wants good relations with all its neighbours but for that, a terror-free environment was needed.
Bilateral relations between New Delhi and Islamabad have soured in the past few years as Islamabad is not cracking down on terrorist organisations - operating from its soil - targeting India. New Delhi has refused to hold any bilateral talks with Islamabad until it stops facilitating terrorism in India.
Without naming India, Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said Pakistan was ready to hold talks with its neighbour on serious issues as wars were not an option anymore. "We are prepared to talk to them, provided that the neighbour is serious to talk on serious matters...because war is no more an option," the Pakistan PM said in an apparent reference to India.
Responding to this, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said has seen the reports about Sharif's comment for talks. "India's clear and consistent position is well known...we desire normal, neighbourly relations with all our neighbours including Pakistan. But for this, an environment free of terror and hostility is imperative."
In December last year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said there would be no compromise on the core issues because no country has suffered from terrorism as much as India. He said New Delhi had been very clear that it will not normalise and rationalise terrorism.
"We will never allow terrorism to force us to the negotiating table. We want good neighbourly relations with everybody, but that does not mean excusing or looking away or rationalising terrorism," the foreign minister said without mentioning Pakistan.
In May this year, Pakistan foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited India to attend a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). This was the first such high-level visit to India from Pakistan since 2011. During the visit, India and Pakistan did not hold any bilateral talks.
While many hoped that Bilawal Bhutto's visit may open doors for future dialogues, the Pakistan foreign minister spoiled the opportunity by raking up human rights issues in Kashmir again and objected to New Delhi holding G20 meeting in Jammu and Kashmir.
Jaishankar hit back at Bilawal Bhutto and called him a "promoter, justifier and a spokesperson" of the terrorism industry. The EAM said that Pakistan's credibility in dealing with terrorism is depleting even faster than its forex reserves.
When asked whether there could be talks between India and Pakistan on combating the menace, Jaishankar said, "Victims of terrorism do not sit together with perpetrators of terrorism to discuss terrorism." He also asserted that Jammu and Kashmir "was, is and will" always be part of India.