Tackle terror before talks: India on FS level meeting with Pakistan
New Delhi : India’s foreign secretary S Jaishankar has put the dialogue process with Pakistan almost on freeze till Islamabad takes action to the terror front. Participating in the Raisina Dialogues a conclave on geo-economics and geopolitics, he said: “In the aftermath of a terror attack, if you ask me what do you give priority to, a terrorist attack or a diplomatic dialogue, I think the answer should be obvious.”
His assertion came amid reports that a five as a five-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) from Pakistan is likely to visit India this month to probe the Pathankot terror assault. India had said Masood Azhar, head of Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed, masterminded the attack and sought action against him and other perpetrators.
However as the formal dialogue process remains stalled, Jaishankar has said that the two countries were in touch with each other following the attack, primarily at the level of National Security Advisers, and to a certain extent between him and his Pakistani counterpart. He said ‘parallel processes’ are at work.
On improving connectivity between India and Pakistan, he said, “It takes two hands to clap” and that India would like to have same kind of ties with Islamabad like it has with other neighbours. Most people in this country want to treat Pakistan as a normal neighbour. So, we would like to do with Pakistan what we do with everybody else. But the fact is that there are obstacles and we know what the obstacles are.”
