Upto Pakistan to show it cares, Jaishankar in LS, hopes Bangladesh will secure minorities

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said in Lok Sabha that India wanted good ties and ties sans terrorism with all its neighbours, including Pakistan.

The foreign minister said it was up to Pakistan to show intent.

Answering a question by MP Navin Jindal on what India was doing to improve ties with Pakistan, Jaishankar said, “In terms of improving ties with Pakistan or anyone else, we would like to have good ties and ties free of terrorism. It is for Pakistan to show they are changing their behaviour of the past and if they do not, there are implications for them. So the ball is in Pakistan’s court.”

The minister said some trade disruptions happened due to Pakistan’s decisions in 2019.

“They took the initiative on that,” Jaishankar said.

To a question by AIMIM MP Asadudin Owaisi about Nepal’s currency note printing a new border, Jaishankar said India’s position regarding borders is very clear.

“If there is any expectation in any neighbour that by doing something it would get India to change its position, so that is not the case,” he said.

About Myanmar, the minister said that because of very disturbed conditions on the border, India has had to review open regime policy but it is sensitive to the requirements of the border community.

“It is something we are working on. Part of the challenge is that there is very little government authority on the other side of the border. What has to be done we have to do it ourselves. There is now much more presence to monitor movement,” he said.

The minister added that with Bangladesh, India has a good history of development projects.

“Almost in every neighbouring country except China and Pakistan, we have had important development projects. We hope that with the new Bangladesh government, we will settle down to mutually beneficial and stable relations,” he said.

Jaishankar said attacks on minorities have been a source of concern.

“There have been multiple incidents of attacks on minorities. Recently, foreign secretary Vikram Misri visited Dhaka. This subject came up during his meeting and it is our expectation that, in its own interest, Bangladesh would take steps so that the minorities are safe,” the minister said.