Rajnath Singh arrives in Pakistan to participate in SAARC conference

While Pakistan says Kashmir is at their heart of their decades of rivalry, India says its main issue is the militancy that it accuses Pakistan of sponsoring.

There is little possibility of Singh having a bilateral meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in the wake of strain in Indo-Pak relations after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani in Jammu and Kashmir on July 8.

He said, “There are no good terrorists or bad terrorists”.

The Home Minister also skipped the official lunch as the host had left the venue, the reports had said.

Addressing a meeting of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) counties’ representatives, he said, “Those who provide support, encouragement, sanctuary, safe haven or any assistance to terrorism or terrorists must be isolated”. “I appreciate the unity of the House on this issue and this reflects our determination to fight the menace”, he said.

“Keeping in mind the country’s prestige, I did what I should have done”.

“Mere condemnation of terrorism and terrorists is not enough”, Singh said, demanding action.

The Home Minister said dark clouds of terrorism have engulfed not just South Asia but the entire world. India has clearly given out its message against this evil which endangers humanity, he said.

Rajya Sabha members also criticised Pakistan for allowing protest against India and the visit of Singh.

The protesters shouted anti-India slogans in Faizabad area of Rawalpindi, around 20 km from Islamabad where the two-day Saarc conference is being held.

India has also offered to host a meeting of experts on SAARC Anti Terrorism Mechanism on September 22-23, he said, adding he offered provision of training to SAARC member nations on preventing narcotics trade.

Meanwhile in Islamabad, an Interior Ministry official also said that there was no such blackout of Rajnath’s speech as none of the speeches of participating ministers was shown.

The Envoys’ Conference is a regular feature in which Pakistan’s representatives in various regions brief the government on important developments in their respective areas of accreditation, and challenges and opportunities arising out of such developments.