On Friday, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated that India would like to have good ties with Pakistan as it does with all its neighbour but would like to have ties free of terrorism like any other neighbour.
While addressing in Lok Sabha on Friday, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated that India has made it very clear it is for the Pakistani side to show that they are changing their behaviour of the past and if they don’t, it will have implications for the bilateral ties.
BJP MP Naveen Jindal questioned India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar about steps taken by the Indian government to improve relations with Pakistan and measures taken by India to enhance trade and commerce with them.
Replying to his question, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated, “In terms of improving ties with Pakistan, like any other neighbour, we would like to have good ties. But like with any other neighbour, we would also like to have ties free of terrorism. So, this has been the position of the government. We have made it very clear that it is for the Pakistani side to show that they are changing their behaviour of the past and that if they don’t, of course, there are implications for the relationship and for them. So, I think the ball is very much in Pakistan’s court in this regard.”
Blaming Pakistan for the disruption in trade with India, he stated, “Regarding trade, I think some of the disruptions which happened, happened because of decisions by the government of Pakistan in 2019. And it is a matter on which, they took the initiative and we have an agnostic position on this.”
India has consistently expressed its concern over Pakistan’s support of cross-border terrorism, emphasizing that terror and talks cannot go together.
Earlier in October this year, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar described cross-border terrorism, extremism and separatism as the “three evils” that hinder trade and travel as well as people to people relations between nations.
While speaking at the 23rd Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation (Organisation) Council of Heads of Government, S Jaishankar took a veiled jibe at Pakistan to state that if activities across borders are marked by terrorism, extremism and separatism, they are “hardly likely to encourage trade, energy flows, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges in parallel.”
India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar travelled to Pakistan to participate in the SCO Meeting, which was chaired by Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif.
Calling for strong commitment to the SCO Charter, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated, “But most of all, our endeavours will progress only when our commitment to the Charter remains firm. It is axiomatic that development and growth requires peace and stability. And as the Charter spelt out, this means being firm and uncompromising in countering the ‘three evils’. If activities across borders are characterized by terrorism, extremism and separatism, they are hardly likely to encourage trade, energy flows, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges in parallel.”
Last year in May, S Jaishankar stated that the “victims of terrorism do not sit together with perpetrators of terrorism”.
While briefing a press conference following a meeting of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers in Goa, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar criticized Pakistan’s then- Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari‘s “weaponising terrorism” remarks.
“Victims of terrorism do not sit together with perpetrators of terrorism to discuss terrorism. Victims of terrorism defend themselves, counter acts of terrorism, they call it out, they legitimise it and that is exactly what is happening. To come here and preach these hypocritical words as though we are on the same boat,” he stated.
