New Delhi: The BJP on Wednesday slammed a group of eminent people from India and Pakistan seeking revival of bilateral dialogue and restoration of normal ties between the two countries, calling them “pro-Pakistan brigade”.
This came after more than 100 prominent citizens, including former Jammu and Kashmir chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, from India and Pakistan urged Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif to revive bilateral dialogue and restore normal ties.
Asked about it, BJP national spokesperson Prem Shukla told PTI Videos, “This pro-Pakistan brigade should write this letter to Pakistan only.”
India has maintained a clear stand that peace talks cannot take place amid the “sounds of bombs and gunfire”, Shukla said, adding, “If Pakistan ceases the training and sponsorship of terrorism, bilateral talks will commence.”
The BJP spokesperson took on Abdullah, daring him to show courage and urge Pakistan to stop sponsoring and training terrorists.
“If Abdullah has the courage, he and his associates should urge Pakistan to stop sponsoring and training terrorists,” he said.
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Gulam Ali Khatana said it has always been India’s policy to maintain good relations with its neighbours, fostering trade and the movement of people.
“Unfortunately, our western neighbour, Pakistan, has crossed all limits of barbarism and atrocity… There is no parallel in the world to the brutality witnessed in Pahalgam,” he told PTI Videos, when asked.
“Two things cannot go hand in hand. There can’t be terror and inflitration, and dialogue simultaneously bullets and peace talks cannot go together,” he added.
An open letter, signed by Abdullah, Mufti, former RAW chief A S Dulat, Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha, former diplomat Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, moderate separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, former Union minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri besides several retired diplomats and civil society members asked the two governments to take “meaningful and sustained steps towards restoring peace, normalcy, dialogue and cooperation in South Asia”.
The June 30 letter, coordinated by Centre for Peace and Progress chairman O P Shah and signed by 61 Indians and 55 Pakistanis, stressed that “sustained engagement and dialogue remain the only viable path to resolving differences”.
The signatories called for the restoration of full diplomatic relations, reinstatement of high commissioners, resumption of normal visa services and reopening of a comprehensive bilateral dialogue on all outstanding issues.
They also sought discussions on Jammu and Kashmir, including revisiting the framework negotiated between 2004 and 2007, along with steps towards demilitarisation and de-escalation while addressing the “legitimate security concerns” of both countries.
The appeal also sought the reopening of trade channels, restoration of normal commercial relations, revival of the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status or equivalent non-discriminatory trade arrangement and reopening of the Attari-Wagah land border.
