Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today came down heavily on Pakistan for adopting a dual stand on the issue of eliminating terrorism.
Addressing the seventh SAARC Interior/Home Ministers conference in Islamabad, Singh asked the provincial government to stop playing the card of ‘good terrorists’ and ‘bad terrorists’.
“There are no good terrorists or bad terrorists,” he said.
Referring to Pakistani government’s declaration of Hizbul militant Burhan Wani as a ‘martyr’, he said, “There should be no glorification or eulogising of terrorists as martyrs.”
The July 8 killing of Wani was followed by provocative statements from the Pakistani government on the current situation in the Valley. The Pakistani premier had even declared Wani, a wanted militant of banned Hizbul Mujahideen group, a ‘hero’ and even observed a ‘black day’ in solidarity with him.
Calling for quick action against terrorists, Singh said, “Mere strong condemnation of terrorism and terrorists is not enough. There should be strongest action not only against terrorists or organisations but also against those individuals, organisations and nations who support terrorism.”
Singh's visit comes in the backdrop of growing strain in Indo-Pak ties after Pakistan and its Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made provocative statements on the Kashmir situation in the wake of Wani's killing.
The meeting will also focus on strengthening networking among police authorities of SAARC member-countries and also enhance information-sharing among law enforcement agencies.
Singh, who arrived here on Wednesday on a BSF aircraft to attend the SAARC Interior Ministers' conference, was flown to a five star hotel in a helicopter amid security concerns arising out of protests led by Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed’s Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD). He was received by Dr. Muhammad Faisal, Director General SAARC and South Asia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan, at the Islamabad airport.
