NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday said it wanted “good relations” with Pakistan, but issued a stern warning to certain groups based there, saying they need to be “taught a lesson” and that pain should be inflicted on those who had “inflicted pain on us”, citing the example of the Myanmar operation.
The government told the Lok Sabha that India’s wish to have good relations with Pakistan couldn’t be at the cost of its “pride, dignity and self-respect” and that it would ensure “our enemies” couldn’t go scot-free as even small incidents of terrorism had to be “treated as war”.
The Government also targeted Congress in a veiled manner as it raked up issues related to the Ishrat Jahan case and the controversial Technical Services Division (TSD) set up by former Army chief Gen V K Singh.
“We are in the process definitely to ensure that our enemies cannot go scot-free,” Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said, adding “the compromise made earlier was probably one of the reasons as to why we are suffering today.” He said there were certain organisations across the border in Pakistan which were making statements and they “should be taught lessons”.
“If you inflict pain on India, we will inflict pain on those individuals and organisations who have inflicted pain on us. I think this has to be carried out,” he said while responding to a discussion on the Pathankot terror attack.
He cited the example of the operation carried out by the Army against Myanmar-based insurgents after Indian soldiers were killed in an ambush in Manipur.
Sushma, Aziz Chit-chat in Nepal
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz were on Wednesday seen engaged in an animated discussion over a dinner hosted here for ministers of Saarc countries. Though details of their discussion were not known, Indian officials described it as a “social chitchat” between the ministers who were seated alongside.
The two ministers are also scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting here on Thursday, which was sought by Aziz to extend an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Saarc summit to be hosted by Pakistan later this year.
Visa Tussle
Meanwhile, after seven Pakistani diplomats were refused visas to watch Saturday’s World T20 India-Pakistan match in Kolkata, India clarified that the neighbouring country hadn’t provided details of the itineraries of the applicants, adding that 19 visas had still been approved as “a gesture”.
“Pakistan has not informed the Indian government about the itinerary of the proposed travels as required by bilateral practice despite repeated reminders. However, considering the occasion, 19 approvals were issued as a gesture,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.
The ministry maintained that it would process the requests immediately after Pakistan provided the information.