Chandigarh, March 19: Terming Islamabad-sponsored terrorismas the biggest hurdle to normalizing relations between the two nations, PunjabChief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday said Pakistan Chief of ArmyStaff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, should back his rhetoric on peace with Indiawith solid action.
Bajwa should first control his ISI, and then talk aboutstability in Indo-Pak relations, said the Chief Minister, adding that Indiacannot afford to go soft with Pakistan till they walk the talk and prove theirsincerity with concrete actions.
“Infiltration into India from across the border is stillhappening, Indian soldiers are being killed at the borders every day. They(Pakistan) are dropping arms and heroin into Punjab via drones every other day.Efforts to create trouble in my state continue to take place. All this shouldstop first, only then we can talk peace,” said Captain Amarinder.
For India to trust Pakistan, the latter will have to do muchmore than offer an olive branch, said the Chief Minister, citing his ownexperience of 1964 as ADC to GOC-in-C, Western Command. “We used to receivedaily reports then of firing and trouble from the western border, as wecontinue to do now,” he said.
It is important for not just Bajwa but the entire Pakistanmilitary apparatus to be on board with the idea of burying the past and pavingthe way for peace with India, said Captain Amarinder, adding that it is not NewDelhi but Islamabad which has obstructed the path of peace between the twocountries.
“Are they all of the same view as shared by General Bajwa? Arethey withdrawing all support to terror groups immediately? Have they asked ISIto back off and leave India alone?” These, said the Chief Ministers, arequestions that need to be answered before India can start believing in, andresponding to, Pakistan’s overtures of peace. “India is all for peace, allIndians stand for peace, but India cannot compromise on its security andintegrity,” he stressed, adding that peace cannot be conditional.
Given the way the situation has evolved over the past fewmonths, Pakistan’s increasing collusion with China, which has been causing awhole lot of trouble for India on the other border, is a matter of concern, theChief Minister said. “If Islamabad seriously wants peace with New Delhi, theyshould send out the message to Beijing, loud and clear, that Pakistan is notwith them in the dangerous escapades at the Line of Actual Control (LAC).”