ISLAMABAD: The interior ministers of both Pakistan and India made indirect but critical remarks aimed at each other’s governments on the second day of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) meet here on Thursday.
The war of words came as tensions between the two nuclear neighbours had been already running high in the aftermath of prolonged violence in India-held Kashmir. In his address to the conference, Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh made a direct jibe aimed at the Pakistani government for its strong condemnation of the killing of Kashmiri freedom fighter Burhan Wani by the Indian forces.
He said, “There are no good terrorists or bad terrorists. There should be no glorification or eulogising of terrorists as martyrs.” He called for strongest action not only against militants or organisations but also against those individuals, organisations and nations which support militancy.
In response to his statement, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, in response, lambasted the “use of excessive force” to suppress protests in held Kashmir, without naming the Indian government. He said, “Using torture against innocent children and violence against civilians qualifies as terrorism.” He added that there was a dire need to end an extremist mindset and instead try to solve regional issues with dialogue.
He said that like the attacks in Pathankot, Kabul, Mumbai and Dhaka, Pakistan too has lost many innocent lives due to terrorism. “The use of blame game has not benefited anyone for the past six decades.”
No bilateral meeting between the Indian home minister and his Pakistani counterpart took place on the sidelines of the ministerial conference that ended Thursday. Nisar also addressed a press conference after the conclusion of the interior ministers’ conference, and said that Pakistan has not shut the door on talks with India. “Pakistan has not shut the door on bilateral dialogue, we are always willing to conduct discussions and dialogue, but with dignity and self-respect.”
In a veiled reference to India, the interior minister also stated that the countries which have shut the doors on dialogue need to reflect upon their choice. He further stated that issues between nations are not resolved through finger pointing or indulging in blame games, and countries need to sit down for dialogue to bring about real change.
Referring again to the unrest in India-held Kashmir, he said that no country should suppress freedom struggles while camouflaging them under the guise of terrorism. “Terrorism is the buzzword in the world nowadays. No country should try to crush a freedom struggle and camouflage it under the guise of terrorism.”
Nisar reiterated that the Kashmiri freedom movement is sanctified by United Nations resolutions. Earlier the prime minister had assured the SAARC conference that Pakistan would stand alongside its South Asian neighbours to eradicate corruption, organised crime and militancy from the region.
He said, “Pakistan on national grounds has been successful in curbing terrorism by implementing the National Action Plan and carrying out the operation Zarb-e-Azb.” He added that the success achieved so far proved that Pakistan was committed towards wiping out militancy from its territory.
PM Nawaz said that the SAARC countries should use their human and natural resources to promote peace and prosperity in the region. “The Government of Pakistan wishes for peace in all countries across the region and has always supported SAARC in pursuit of its goals,” he said.
He pressed on the importance of efficient transport and communication network in the region to ensure public welfare and economic growth. SAARC Secretary General Arjun Bahadur Thapa, who belongs to Nepal, said that the issues of drugs, terrorism, cybercrime and other international crimes should be addressed immediately. He also appreciated Pakistan’s efforts to host the conference.
