In a strongly worded address to the nation following over 50 hours of ceasefire between India and Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday evening ruled out the possibility of resuming trade ties with Islamabad and asserted that any future dialogue would be strictly limited to terrorism and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). PM Modi also reiterated his stance that 'terror and trade' cannot go hand-in-hand. This time, he also added that blood and water cannot flow together, affirming that India will continue to keep the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance.
PM Modi’s speech came after India’s armed forces, under Operation Sindoor, launched a series of coordinated strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, where civilians were brutally killed. “We have given full freedom to our armed forces to eliminate terrorists,” Modi said, praising the military, intelligence agencies, and scientists for their efforts.
PM Modi on PoK and terror
Addressing the nation, PM Modi said, "When Indian missiles and drones attacked those sites in Pakistan, it was not just the buildings of the terrorist organisations, but their courage also shook. Terrorist sites like Bhawalpur and Muridke were the universities of global terrorism. All big terrorist attacks in the world, including 9/11 or big terrorist attacks in India, are somehow or the other connected to these terrorist sites....'Aatankiyo ne hamari behano ka Sindoor ujada tha isliye Bharat ne aatank ke headquarters ujaad diye'. Over 100 terrorists were killed..."
"..The world has seen that dirty truth of Pakistan when the high-ranked officers of the Army bid the slain terrorists adieu. There cannot be a bigger proof of state-sponsored terrorism....If there will be talks between India and Pakistan, it will only be on terrorism and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK)...India's stand has been clear: terror, trade, and talks cannot be done together."