In his critique of Pakistan’s larger point about the ferment in the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Singh said: “All our PMs have done their best to improve relations with our neighbours but yeh padosi hai ki maanta hi nahin hai (this neighbour never listens)”.
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At the meeting, Singh said the initiatives announced by India included offering technical assistance to make STOMD and SDOMD more effective.
The warning to Pakistan comes days after Home Minister Rajnath Singh forcefully raised the issue of terrorism with Islamabad at a SAARC ministerial meet where he demanded strict action not only against the terrorists but also on those who provide safe havens to them. He stressed at the meeting that terrorism should not be glorified and is “not patronised by any State”. Pakistan was “surprised” by India’s persistence and this led its interior minister to keep away from a lunch he himself hosted. He told the audience: “There is no good or bad terrorism. I requested all member countries not to glorify terrorists or treat them as freedom fighters”, Singh said.
“The home minister did not receive respect and honour due to him in Pakistan during his visit as per protocol; we condemn it”, said Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad.
In yet another bid to highlight the Kashmir issue, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday vowed to provide medical help to those injured in violence there and called on the global community to ask India to provide access for treatment of victims.
“The media that accompanied the Home Minister was not in the (meeting) room and a number of you who had applied for visas (to cover the event) did not get visas. Nearly all countries condemned terrorism in strongest possible terms”, Singh said.
He said, “terrorism is obviously a reality in both countries, and they need to – in order to effectively confront it, they need to work together”. He said: “I pointed out that strongest possible steps need to be taken – not only against terrorists and terrorist organisations but also individuals, institutions, organisations or nations that support them”.
Some reports said that there was an aggressive verbal exchange between officials of the two sides over the issue.
They said Mr Singh and the Pakistani interior minister did not even greet each other with a proper handshake as their hands barely touched.
However, the External Affairs Ministry on Thursday evening clarified that it not allowing a live coverage of a Saarc ministerial meeting was a norm and the reports of a “blackout” of our the Home Minister’s statement were “misleading”.
As per SAARC protocol, he said, the opening statement by the host country is public and open to the media and the rest of the proceedings are in-camera, which allows for a full and frank discussion of issues.
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The protests were held at a distance of about 10 kilometers from the National Assembly.
