No talks with Pakistan unless it stops sponsoring terrorism

Hyderabad: Pakistan was trying to get political mileage while initiating the Kartarpur Corridor. For this reason, Pakistan sent an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the SAARC Conference. But India delivered a tight slap on Pakistan’s face by saying that unless Pakistan stopped terrorism, there would be no talks possible with Pakistan. Indian Foreign Minister, Sushma Swaraj warned that the Kartarpur Corridor should be looked at as an independent event and it should not be in any way linked to the bilateral talks.

India had boycotted the SAARC Conference held in Pakistan in 2016. India had taken this decision after the Uri terrorist attack. Following India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bhutan also had backed out resulting in the cancellation of the conference. No SAARC conference has been held ever since. Against this background, Pakistan has sent an invitation to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the SAARC conference. Pakistan has a plan to initiate bilateral talks under this pretext. But India has busted Pakistan’s plan.

The Indian foreign ministry informed that the invitation has been declined. Foreign Minister, Sushma Swaraj sternly said that there could not be any dialogue with Pakistan unless Pakistan gave up the path of terror and stopped carrying out saboteur activities in India. Sushma Swaraj also clarified that India would not be participating in the SAARC conference under the Pakistani Presidentship unless this demand was met. At the same time, Foreign Minister Swaraj reminded that India had extended the hand of friendship and cooperation towards Pakistan time and again.

The Foreign Minister clarified ‘I personally visited Pakistan to initiate a bilateral dialogue, but Pakistan gave a return gift of the Uri attack. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a goodwill visit, India received the Pathankot air-base attack in return. Therefore, India is firm on its stand that unless Pakistan stops saboteur activities in India, there can be no further talks with this country.’

Pakistan has provided an opportunity to the Sikhs in India to visit the Gurudwara Nanakan Sahib in that country by starting the Kartarpur Corridor.Foreign Minister Swaraj pointed out that India had been making this demand since 1994, but it was only now that Pakistan accepted the request. Swaraj also said that the Kartarpur Corridor was an independent event and it should not be linked to bilateral talks. Sushma Swaraj also made a suggestive statement that the Kartarpur Corridor has not been initiated because of any single person but was the decision between both the governments.