New Delhi/Srinagar, May 15: India’s relations and dealings with Pakistan will be “strictly bilateral”, which is a national consensus for many years and there is “absolutely no change” in that consensus, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday.
Interacting with reporters on the sidelines of an event here, he also said the UN Security Council had underlined the need to hold the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack accountable, and on May 7 morning, “we held them accountable through the Operation Sindoor”.
India carried out precision strikes on terror infrastructure early on May 7 following which Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10. The Pakistani actions were strongly responded to by the Indian side. The hostilities ended with an understanding on stopping the military actions following talks between the Directors General of Military Operations of both sides on May 10.
“To me things are fairly clear. So, let me take this opportunity to spell out our position. One, where Pakistan is concerned, our relations, our dealings with them will be bilateral, and strictly bilateral. That is a national consensus for many years, and there is absolutely no change in that consensus that dealings with Pakistan will be bilateral,” Jaishankar said.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it “very clear” that any talks with Pakistan will be only on terror.
“…Pakistan has a list of terrorists, who need to be handed over. They have to shut down terrorist infrastructure, they know what to do,” the external affairs minister said.
Jaishankar said New Delhi is “prepared to discuss” with Islamabad what is to be done on terrorism.
On the Kashmir issue, he said, “Only thing that remains to be discussed on Kashmir, is vacation of illegally occupied Indian territory in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, we are open to discuss it with Pakistan…the government position is very, very clear.”
3 terrorists killed
in J&K’s Pulwama
Three unidentified terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, police said.
Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the Nader Tral area of Awantipora in the south Kashmir district after receiving specific inputs about the presence of terrorists there, a police official said.
The search operation turned into an encounter after the terrorists opened fire at the forces, who retaliated, he said.
The three terrorists were killed in the exchange of fire. The identity and group affiliation of the slain terrorists were yet to be ascertained, the official said.
BCAS revokes security clearance for Turkish firm
Aviation watchdog BCAS on Thursday revoked the security clearance of ground handling company Celebi Airport Services India, a unit of Turkiye’s Celebi, with immediate effect in the “interest of national security”.
The move by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security came against the backdrop of Turkiye’s backing for Pakistan and its condemnation of India’s recent strikes on terror camps in the neighbouring country and PoK under ‘Operation Sindoor’. Pakistan had also used Turkish drones on a large scale in the military conflict.
Official sources, meanwhile, said the government may discourage people from going to Turkiye and Azerbaijan, which had supported Pakistan in the conflict. As a result, there is likely to be a significant drop in visits of Indian tourists, hosting of destination weddings and shooting of Indian films in the two countries. (PTI)