Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Saturday claimed that bilateral talks were stalled due to Pakistan’s own behaviour.” It is impossible to speak to a nation where proclaimed terrorist Hafiz Saeed roams freely. We have not sabotaged negotiations with Pakistan. We began talks with them because we believed it necessary. They were stalled only because of Pakistan’s own behaviour,” she said in her address to the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
“We have always preferred the peace option. Even after Imran Khan came to power in Pakistan, we accepted their request for talks. But within hours, they killed three of our policemen in Kashmir,” she said. “Pakistan glorifies killers, refuses to see the blood of innocents, and then throws the dust of deceit on India to cover its own guilt,” she said. “We are accused of sabotaging the process of talks. This is a complete lie. We believe that talks are only rational means to resolve the most complex of disputes. Talks with Pakistan have begun many times. If they stopped, it was only because of their behaviour,” she added.
“Last year, Pakistan’s representative, using right to reply, displayed some photographs as proof of human rights violations by India,” she said. “The photographs turned out to be from another country. Similar false accusations have become part of its standard rhetoric,” she added.
Published in Daily Times, September 30th 2018.
