No pre-condition but Pak must curb terror: PM
No pre-condition but Pak must curb terror: PM
The PM wound up his two-day visit to Kashmir on Thursday.

Srinagar: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday said there were no no pre-conditions for talks with Pakistan but they cannot make headway unless there is "effective control" of the terror groups operating in that country.

Winding up his two-day visit to Kashmir Valley, he also voiced the hope that separatists and others would reciprocate his appeal for a dialogue with all sections of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Asked at a press conference here whether his statement on Wednesday that Pakistan should destroy terror camps will be a pre-condition for talks, Singh said "it is not not a pre-condition".

"But there is a practical way of looking at (things). Negotiations can't make headway unless Pakistan brings under effective control these terror groups."

He said India is a democracy and if day and day out terrorists continue attack and take the precious lives "we cannot create an atmosphere for negotiations".

"Negotiations can't make headway unless Pakistan brings under control the terrorist elements which aid and abet terrorism in India," the Prime Minister.

He also made it clear that Pakistan's actions against those believed to be behind the Mumbai attacks were not not satisfactory and expressed the hope that Islamabad would bring all the perpetrators of 26/11 attacks to justice.

Singh described as "far fetched and far from truth" Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik's charge that India was abetting violence in Balochistan and funding Taliban.

"I have said earlier that India had no no role in Balochistan and those who level these charges, the senior minister in Pakistan, know jolly well that there is no truth in it.

"Nothing can be far fetched and far from truth," he said adding in fact it was India which was a victim of terrorism aided and abetted from Pakistani soil.

"Both (charges on) Balochistan and Taliban are totally false," he said.

To a question whether India was satisfied with Pakistan's steps on Mumbai attacks, he said "obviously we are not not satisfied with action taken by Pakistan. We sincerely hope that Pakistan government will bring all the perpetrators of 26/11 attacks to justice."

PAGE_BREAK

In his opening statement, he expressed the hope that his appeal for dialogue with all sections of the people of Jammu and Kashmir will be reciprocated in the spirit in which he had made the appeal yesterday.

To a question about Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Farooq justifying the use of gun, Singh said he did not not want to ready too much into what was said in anger.

"I hope all those who believe in the good of Jammu and Kashmir will respond favourably to my appeal for dialogue. We are willing to engage in discussions with every group and all those who want abjure violence," he said.

When referred to a remark by Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq justifying the role of gun in separatist movement, the Prime Minister said, "One should not read too much in a statement made in anger."

Singh said he still hoped that "all those who have good and well-being of the people of J-K in their hearts will respond favourably to my appeal."

At the same time, he slammed Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) for making certain adverse comments on Jammu and Kashmir and appointing a special representative and said India has protested against these.

"We regret the OIC has got into this business and we have lodged a protest with OIC on this count," he said.

"We want a peaceful resolution to all problems facing J-K, both in its internal dimensions and also external dimensions," Singh said.

He, however, made it clear that India "is not acting under anybody's pressure, we are not going to be induced to act under pressure of anybody."

The Prime Minister said it was in the interest of people of Jammu and Kashmir as well as Pakistan that the "relations between our two countries should be what they ought to be between two neighbours."

In this context, he referred to his oft-repeated statement that the destinies of India and Pakistan are closely interlinked.

What's your reaction?

Comments

https://shivann.com/assets/images/user-avatar-s.jpg

0 comment

Write the first comment for this!