External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday, 13 March, said India cannot have dialogue with Pakistan unless the neighbouring country acted against terror outfits on its soil, asserting that "talks and terror cannot go together".
Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah has reached India on Wednesday, 13 March, to deliberate on the Kartarpur corridor issue on Thursday, 14 March, reported ANI. A Pakistani delegation will visit India on Thursday for the meeting, which would be followed by an Indian delegation's visit to Islamabad on 28 March.
Earlier in the day, speaking at the Aaj Tak Suraksha Sabha interaction, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman asserted that Pakistan had lost a pilot flying the F-16 jet that was shot down by Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack.
She added that India is aware of the identity of the Pakistani pilot, but refused to give more details.
- China has repeatedly blocked India’s bid to get Masood Azhar designated as a global terrorist
- The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will take a decision on listing JeM chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist on 13 March
- India moved a proposal for Azhar’s listing in 2009 after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks but China put a ‘technical hold’ on it
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No Dialogue with Pakistan Before Action on Terror Outfits: Sushma Swaraj
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday, 13 March said India cannot initiate a dialogue with Pakistan unless the neighbouring country acted against terror outfits on its soil, asserting that "talks and terror cannot go together".
Talking on 'India's World: Modi government's Foreign Policy', she stated that Pakistan needs to control the ISI and its army who are bent on destroying the bilateral relations time and again.
"We do not want talk on terror, we want action on it. Terror and talks cannot go together," she said.
Swaraj also questioned Pakistan's retaliation to the Indian air strikes in Balakot when, she said, India had specifically targeted the terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).
"Why did the Pakistani military attack us on behalf of JeM? You not only keep JeM on your soil, but fund them and when the victim country retaliates, you attack it on the terror outfit's behalf.
"If Imran Khan (Pakistan prime minister) is so generous and a statesman, he should give us Masood Azhar," she said.
The external affairs minister said India can have a good relationship with Pakistan, provided the neighbouring country takes action against terror outfits.
Pakistan Regrets India's Move to Not Issue Visas to Journalists for Kartarpur Meeting
Pakistan expressed disappointment over India's decision to not issue visas to Pakistani journalists to cover the first meeting between the two countries on the Kartarpur Corridor.
The meeting will take place on the Indian side of the Attari-Wagah border on Thursday, 14 March.
"Regrettable that India has not given visas to Pakistani journalists for the Kartarpur meeting tomorrow," Dr Mohammad Faisal, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, tweeted.
"Hope the #PakKartarpurSpirit and meeting tomorrow will bring a change for the better for people of both countries," he added.
Pakistan Dy HC Reaches India, to Discuss Kartarpur Tomorrow
Syed Haider Shah, Pakistan’s Deputy High Commissioner to India who reached Amritsar on Wednesday to discuss the Kartarpur corridor issue, said, “We want to open Kartarpur Corridor so that Sikh people from here can visit it in Pakistan. The meeting will be held tomorrow (14 March).”
IAF Spots Pak Jets go Super Sonic 10 km From LoC
Indian air defence radars detected two Pakistani Air Force jets go supersonic 10 km from LoC (within their territory) in the Poonch sector, reported ANI quoting government sources. Loud bangs heard last night in the area were due to sonic booms, according to the news agency. Indian air defence and radar systems have been kept on high alert.