Terror and talks can’t go together: Sushma on Indo-Pak ties

New Delhi: Clearing the air over rumours that Pakistan may have denied permission to the NIA team to probe the Pathankot attack in that country, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that Islamabad had only asked for more time to conduct a proper investigation from their end.

She also said that the foreign secretary level talks between the two countries have not been cancelled, but the government is only waiting for the probe from the Pakistan side to get over.

“The talks have not been cancelled but we are only awaiting probe from Pakistan side on Pathankot attack to complete,” she said.

India-Pakistan relations are “jatil” (complicated) and talks and terrorism cannot go together, the minister said.

But she told the media that there was “sehejta” (simplicity) in the chemistry involving Prime Ministers Narendra Modi of India and Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan.

“This warmth and simplicity in relations between two Prime Ministers were never there in the past,” she said.

While pursuing with the commitment for friendship, the government won’t compromise on issues of national security. India, she said, remained firm in its resolve that talks and terrorism cannot go together.

The minister denied that South Asia was not getting adequate priority in the Modi government’s foreign policy.

“In the last two years, India has emerged as a strong supporter and a friend in crisis to neighbouring countries,” she said, referring to New Delhi’s help to Nepal during the massive earthquake of 2015.

On the issue of threats to Hindus in Bangladesh, she said the Sheikh Hasina goverment had been taking adequate steps and had so far arrested as many as 3,000 suspects.

“More than that, I feel happy to say that even Islamic leaders in Bangladesh have condemned such threats to Hindus in that country,” she said.

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Source:Zeenews

Sushma swaraj