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Right T-word is terrorism, not tango, says India in comeback to Pak dy PM
Radhir Jaiswal, asked about Pak dy PM’s remarks on resumption of trade that ‘it takes two to tango’, said, “The relevant T-word is terrorism, not tango”
NEW DELHI: India on Friday said Pakistan will have to tackle the issue of terrorism before the two sides can move forward in areas such as trade and commerce, even as it highlighted the fallout of Islamabad’s long-standing policy of using terror as an instrument of state policy.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responded to Pakistani deputy prime minister Ishaq Dar’s remarks on Thursday about the need for joint efforts for the resumption of bilateral trade by pointing to New Delhi’s long-standing concerns about terrorism emanating from Pakistani soil.
When Dar, who is also the foreign minister, was asked at a news conference on Thursday about the possible resumption of trade with India, he replied: “As far as India is concerned, it takes two to tango.”
Dar added, “I think it cannot be one-way, that we will do everything. If there is goodwill from India, then we are ready. But it has to be both sides.”
When Jaiswal was asked about Dar’s remarks at a media briefing, he replied: “The relevant T-word is terrorism, not tango.” He was referring to India’s long-stated position that Pakistan will have to crack down on terrorism on its soil in order to take forward bilateral engagements in areas such as trade.
India withdrew the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status for Pakistan and imposed punitive duties of 200% on imports from the neighbouring country after the 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing that killed 40 Indian troopers. Pakistan suspended trade with India and downgraded diplomatic ties after the Indian government scrapped Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in August 2019. India’s imports from Pakistan were worth $3 million during 2023-24, while India’s exports to Pakistan touched $1.2 billion.
Responding to another question on a report by The Washington Post about India’s intelligence establishment being allegedly linked to the killing of several terrorists in Pakistan since 2021, Jaiswal pointed to former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton’s remarks about the pitfalls of Islamabad’s policy of backing terror groups.
“As regards Pakistan, I remind you of what Hillary Clinton said: ‘You can’t keep snakes in your backyard and expect them only to bite your neighbours,’” Jaiswal said.
He rubbished two reports by The Washington Post – one linking Indian officials to a purported plot to impeach Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu and another on Indian intelligence operatives directing the killing of terrorists in Pakistan – and said the newspaper and the reporter in question “appear to nurse a compulsive hostility towards India”.
