Pakistan

Nisar reacts to Sushma’s ‘surprising’ remarks

Nisar questioned Sushma’s claim that New Delhi was serious in normalising relations with Islamabad

Our Correspondent June 21, 2016

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif shakes hands at SAARC Summit. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s security czar has strongly reacted to a ‘surprising’ statement of the Indian foreign minister who reportedly said on Sunday that the prime ministers of the two countries enjoyed good relations but some forces didn’t want normalisation of bilateral ties.

“The warmth and ease in relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif can help resolve complex issues,” Sushma Swaraj told a news conference in New Delhi. “[But] there are forces which do not want good relations between the two prime ministers and better ties between the two neighbours.”

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Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan took strong exception to Sushma’s remarks calling them ‘surprising’. “Hindu extremist groups like RSS, Shiv Sena and Abhinav Bharat are the biggest hurdle in the way of normalisation of ties as such groups have influence over the Indian government,” he said in a statement on Monday.

“If the Indian foreign minister is serious and determined to having [better] ties with Pakistan, then she should not talk through riddles or try for political point scoring,” he added and asked Sushma to point out which forces were against good ties between Pakistan and India.

The security czar said Premier Nawaz’s relations with any world leader were above his personal relations, and Sushma should not try to portray Nawaz-Modi relations as personal.

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Nisar questioned Sushma’s claim that New Delhi was serious in normalising relations with Islamabad. “If the Indian government is serious, then why it has slammed the door shut on bilateral talks with Pakistan,” he added.

The interior minister also criticised Premier Modi for his recent speech in the US Congress. “Each and every word [in his speech] exposed his so-called friendship policy vis-à-vis Pakistan,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2016.

COMMENTS (20)

Gabbar | 7 years ago | Reply Pakistan should seriously probe Pathankot attack. Your Investigation team have visited Pathankot airbase. When will Pakistan invite NIA for investigation? Pakistani govt is not serious about it. Therefore, do not expect continuity of dialogue process.

shaukat ali | 7 years ago | Reply when usa lied to the whole world about iraq having wmds, they were building a false case with the world community to justify invading another country and totally destroying it., all the while iraq was pleading in the UN that they don't have any such weapons. but usa figured we are a world power, our lie is stronger than the iraqi truth. india with its continuous grand delusions thinks it can play the same game with pakistan in the world community. they have openly tried to suffocate pakistan through afghanistan, they have supported militant insurgency by supporting terror and spies in balochistan. they claim to not care about pakistan and they have bigger things to worry about, however, they are suffocating with their obsession with pakistan. but notice how casually every indian on this website talks about pakistan supporting terror, pakistan messing with afghanstan etc etc. nobody is arguing that indiia is the stronger country here, but if you think that with your subversive activities, you can have a relationship with pakistan like you have with nepal or bangladesh, then you will have to remain frustrated for another couple of centuries.

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Rustam | 7 years ago | Reply @OSD: You are correct on the spot. As India has been finding excuses for avoiding to talk. Therefore, its FM statement is nothing but a JOKE.

Confused | 7 years ago | Reply @vinsin: You talking about your Najam Sethi? We have none.

NDA | 7 years ago | Reply @vinsin: Najam or no Najam , national interest is above every thing else. Both civil and military are dedicated to it. It is Indian lobby which is for over 3 decades trying to muddy the relationship but is having no success. Keep trying.

Last Word | 7 years ago | Reply Well, this was an over-reaction to a very apt and logical statement made by the Indian foreign minister. The forces working against the normalising of relations between the two countries are well known to the whole world and Nisar knows it too, but can ill afford to admit it openly. Gurdaspur and Pathankot attacks happening just before the scheduled talks at two different venues were not mere coincidences but done deliberately to stall the dialogue process. There are no personal relations between the two head of states but the word warmth is generally used in diplomatic circles has been strangely misconstrued shows Nisar's poor grasp in foreign affairs. The ball is now in the Pak civilian govt's court who should find ways to convince the forces not to act as an impediment but help in normalising relations, which will lead to peace and prosperity in both countries.

Bharat | 7 years ago | Reply Try and work out who needs more to normalise the relationship at this point in time

Hameed | 7 years ago | Reply @F35:

Nah he is the acting PM….

I thought that was Dar.

GS@Y | 7 years ago | Reply Good. Finally someone from the Pakistani establishments is not mincing words on India. We are too nice.

OSD | 7 years ago | Reply This is a very appropriate response as the statements by the Indian foreign minister were absolutely duplicitous. It seems like the India government is too sure of its superiority and has forgotten the fact that other nations will react to its treachery also.

vinsin | 7 years ago | Reply @NDA: Najam Sethi last week claimed that Pak military is road block. Indian Military didnt stop any PM from doing anything. And Pakistan dont want to give up terrorism and terrorists.

F35 | 7 years ago | Reply @Hameed: " Is Nisar the foreign minister? " +++++++++++++++ Nah he is the acting PM....

Disgusting | 7 years ago | Reply To call a minister security czar is insulting. But I suppose Ch Nisar likes it.

NDA | 7 years ago | Reply @whatever: India is repeatedly suggesting that it is Pak military which is a road block. Before Sushma, India asked Karzai to take an aim at Pak military. This is unfortunate to say the least. The reasons are obvious. India wants to normalize without resolving the disputes of Kashmir and others. This is beyond 'Pak Red Lines' for civilians and military policy makers. Indian effort is to some how hoodwink politicians into agreeing to some sort of an arrangement. This hypocrite Karzai is now Sushma's kite flyer. Don't forget it was Indian military which stopped Indian PM to sign off agreement on Siachin. So..????

NKAli | 7 years ago | Reply @whatever: Your comments are easier said than done. You have seen and read about the IQ and honesty of Pak politicians. Frankly, since 2008 when PPP, and after that PMLN took over, Generally speaking, Pakistan has been reduced to the size of a peanut....in all spheres of life. Salams

whatever | 7 years ago | Reply when Indian PM went to Pakistan in 1999 for long lasting peace, it was Pakistan army who not only stabbed in back of a peace process but also shot down a civilian government in Pakistan. After so much backstabbing Musharraf too realized, war can't be solution. let the civilian do the talking while army keep guarding the border.

Ahmed | 7 years ago | Reply Hopefully Nisar got the permission from GHQ before making such statements.

Hameed | 7 years ago | Reply Is Nisar the foreign minister? This guy needs to focus on internal issues which are tremendous.

wb | 7 years ago | Reply Pakistanis believe that you run your foreign policy through rhetoric. That's why you fail at everything you ever attempt.

raider | 7 years ago | Reply Pakistani politicians are incapacitated, they rebut with anger, they don’t keep capabilities of commenting at international issues but Indian still do and their foreign and interior minsters get popularity at international level. nisar is no more different.

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