Govt attacked in LS over Indo-Pak joint statement

A BJD member on Monday attacked the UPA Government in the Lok Sabha over the mention of Balochistan in the Indo-Pak joint statement and delinking of terror from dialogue, saying it was a "grave blunder" and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should have shown "prudence".

A BJD member on Monday attacked the UPA Government in the Lok Sabha over the mention of Balochistan in the Indo-Pak joint statement and delinking of terror from dialogue, saying it was a "grave blunder" and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should have shown "prudence".

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B Mahtab said the joint statement issued after talks between Singh and Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani
in Sharm-el Sheikh last week marked a "dramatic reversal" of India's position on terrorism and Balochistan. "The Prime Minister should have exercised prudence," he said, while raising the issue during Zero Hour.

Contending that the joint statement was at "odds" with India's stand on terrorism and Balochistan, he said, "We have
gone back on our position" following the Mumbai carnage.

"There is no India-sponsored activity in Balochistan. So the reference to Balochistan is a grave blunder. It will open
a Pandora's box like reference of the Kashmir issue to the UN in 1947-48," Mahtab said.

"Indian diplomacy has been found wanting," the BJD member said, adding New Delhi's stand at the Singh-Gilani meeting was "amateurish".

Arguing that giving of dossier by Pakistan "does not constitute any credible action", he wondered what action has
Islamabad taken to dismantle terror infrastructure.

He said, "The dialogue so far has been a conversation which has led to nothing. So why resume the dialogue? To hurt
ourselves?"