Refuting earlier reports of a Pakistani media blackout of Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s speech at the SAARC summit in Islamabad, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that these “blackout reports are misleading,” official sources told The Quint.
It is standard SAARC practice that the opening statement by the host country is public and open to the media while the rest of the proceedings are in camera, which allows for a full and frank discussion of issues.
Singh who is now back in Delhi, had gone to Islamabad for the 7th SAARC Home/Interior Ministers’ conference.
Also reacting to the reports of blackout, Information and Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu said that the cabinet will discuss “Pakistan’s model of democracy in the Parliament”.
Addressing a media conference he said:
Even before the Home Minister is back from Pakistan, you want to make a headline. Your headline is not my deadline.
In the speech, Singh sent a stern message to Pakistan.
- “There should be strongest action not only against terrorists but also against nations who support terrorism.”
- “Mere condemnation of terrorism and terrorists is not enough.”
- “Those who provide support, encouragement, give sanctuary and safe haven and assistance to terrorists and terrorism must be isolated.”
- Taking up the heated debate on the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, Singh also said that “there should be no glorification of terrorists as martyrs”.
- He also said that there can be “no good terrorists or bad terrorists. Terrorism is terrorism.”
Singh also said that the “menace of terrorism greatly is amplified by misuse of digital technology and we should look at all aspects of cyber crime.” - He also stressed on the need to immediately ratify SAARC convention on mutual assistance in criminal matters.
The reports regarding the alleged media blackout came immediately after it was announced that there will be not be any bilateral meeting between Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.
Singh arrived for the 7th SAARC Home/Interior Ministers’ conference in Islamabad on Wednesday evening.
Before Singh’s visit, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had asserted that Kashmir issue isn’t India’s internal matter.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI.)
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