‘Cross-border terrorism cannot be policy of good neighbour’: Jaishankar after ex-Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif’s post about ‘hope’
Ajay Banerjee
New Delhi, June 11
A day after former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif made an effort to initiate a kind of conversation with India, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said there has been an issue of cross-border terrorism and that cannot be the policy of a good neighbour.
Jaishankar was interacting with the media after formally taking over as External Affairs Minister for the third term of Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance
He was asked about Pakistan to which he said “You are aware of the issue that has been there for years is cross-border terrorism – how do we find a solution to it, so that cannot be the policy of a good neighbour.”
The minister literally drew the red line on what would be India’s stance on Pakistan sponsored terrorism before any effort is made to have a working relationship.
Jaishankar mentioned about the posts on X by Nawaz Sharif and also the response given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, on Monday greeted Modi and called for new beginning asking to replace ‘hate with hope’ and to ‘seize the opportunity’ to shape the destiny of the two billion people of South Asia.
Within two hours of Sharif’s post on X, PM Modi responded by ‘appreciating’ Sharif’s message and laid down what is India’s position, making it clear that people of India always stood for ‘peace, security and progressive ideas’.
“Appreciate your message. The people of India have always stood for peace, security and progressive ideas. Advancing the well-being and security of our people shall always remain our priority,” Modi said on X.
Nawaz Sharif, whose younger brother Shehbaz Sharif, is the present PM of Pakistan, had posted on X: “My warm felicitations to Modi Ji on assuming office for the third time. Your party’s success in recent elections reflects the confidence of the people in your leadership. Let us replace hate with hope and seize the opportunity to shape the destiny of the two billion people of South Asia”.
Detailing priorities of the government, Jaishankar said we began the day of swearing-in with a ‘neighbourhood first’ affirmation. All our neighbours came and the Prime Minister himself met all of them.
“They (the visiting dignitaries) are leaving with a sense that our neighbouring relationships will be the first priority, will be the overriding priority of the Modi government,” he said.
When Narendra Modi took oath on Sunday, top leader of seven neighbouring and Indian Ocean countries were present.
India had invited the Prime Minister of Pakistan when Modi took oath of his first-term in 2014.
The present diplomatic freeze in India-Pakistan bilateral relations meant an invite in 2024 was ruled out as bilateral ties are not even in ‘working mode’.
