Pakistan only has a caretaker government at present so important diplomatic engagements should wait till after the May 11 elections, says Indian FM. PHOTO: FILE
The “hurt” caused by Sarabjit Singh’s death could bring a setback to efforts aimed at building good relations with Pakistan as India will “pause” the process of engagement in this regard, said Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid in an interview to the Press Trust of India on Monday.
Khurshid added that India will have to adopt a cautious approach towards Pakistan. As 49-year-old Sarabjit’s death in a Pakistan jail had agitated the common people of India, “it will take time to recover lost ground,” said the Indian minister.
Sarabjit succumbed to injuries on May 2 after he was attacked by inmates in Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore. His death came just few months after Pakistani troops killed two Indian soldiers in a cross-LoC attack in Jammu and Kashmir, reminded Khurshid. “The LoC incident also caused a lot of distress to people in the country; it took a long time to calm down tempers.”
“It is unfortunate that it (Sarabjit’s death) happened. We can’t tone down our feelings; they have been publicly expressed by the ordinary people of India,” said the Indian foreign minister. “And obviously, when you feel hurt and distressed, it takes a little time to overcome.”
“Such an incident causes a setback to the momentum of work you have done to bring about a more meaningful relationship.”
“We have returned to talking to Pakistan after major confrontations, after war, after Kargil (conflict of 1999),” he pointed out.
On the dialogue front, Khurshid said that Pakistan, in any case, only has a caretaker government at present so important diplomatic engagements should wait till after the May 11 elections.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 7th, 2013.
COMMENTS (12)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1672385156-0/Andrew-Tate-(1)1672385156-0-165x106.webp "article")
This paper is notorious for parroting the Indian views as gospel......probably to attract Indian readers. What a sell-out!
@ Salman...depends what you compare with , for instance, in comparison to Pakistan, even Bangladesh is America... :PP
Indians mistakenly feel they are Americans who can do and demand anything right or wrong.
The main issue is the brutal manner in which Sarabjit was killed. There wouldn’t have been this much hue and cry if Sarabjit was hanged like Afzal following judicial process. But his extra judicial killing after spending 22 years in jails has stirred passions in India. The victim of which was Sanaullah. I hope he survives.
Who cares Salman Rasheed?And first Pakistani prisoners did then Indian prisoners did. Equal......No why pause in good relations' process with Pakistan? And for your informations this is India's old bad habit and not new for us Pakistanis to beat about the bush to derail the peace talks and processes with Pakistan by using any possible baseless allegations and accusations and we Pakistanis are used to this India's old bad habit....
It would ve been a set back in relations, if Sanaullah had not been attacked. Now its status quo but Indians having the deliberate and authorities backed cheap shot upper hand.
This guy is the biggest impediment in the relation between the two countries. He is a weak Muslim and has tow tow the line. He cannot make bold moves anyway, that is why he has been appointed foreign minister of such a large country with no gall. The tragedy of Sarabjit Singh should have been avoided, that was negligence of the Pakistan administration, that does not change that he was an Indian spy, read the Hindustan Times the true story is there toady. India has abandoned others when they have got snagged. There was guy who spent 30 years in pakistani jail, he denounced his government for abandoning him upon his return to India.He too was a RAW agent. The border is electrified with a high fence, you cannot wander into Pakistan even if you are drunk, this according to reports in Indian papers. Get real, we do spy on each other even friendly countries do it.
After elections in Pakistan, new Prime Minister should inject fresh efforts to improve the bilateral relations. I am putting the onus on new Pakistani PM because Indian politicians will not leave this incident behind till 2014 elections.
Wait, there was another prisoner that was beaten mercilessly... oh never mind he wasn't an Indian. Why can't people just put rights and wrongs where they belong instead of taking sides. Both cases were very inhuman and deserve to be thoroughly investigated and judicially addressed!
Yeah , whatever ....
What about the fact that Indian Army also killed two Pakistani soldiers. The writer should have highlighted it as well.