Singapore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had opened a “window of goodwill and dialogue” with Pakistan, but it was slowly closing due to lack of sincerity by Islamabad, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said here today.
”Prime Minister Modi opened a window of opportunities when he visited Pakistan Prime Minister (Nawaz Sharif). I think that window is slowly closing. Before it closes, Pakistan needs to develop that trust with India on its sincerity on the approach,” he said here at the Shangri-La Dialogue.
Noting that Pakistan separates terrorists between good ones and bad ones, he said, “They are after bad ones but the good ones are promoted to operate in Afghanistan and India. I think that needs to be tackled at a diplomatic level.”
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Parrikar’s remarks was in reference to Modi’s surprise visit to Lahore in December last year to meet Sharif.
The India-Pakistan talks, which had started during External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s visit to Islamabad for the Heart of Asia conference, was stalled after the January 2 attack on Pathankot airbase in which seven Indian security personnel were killed.
India has accused Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group for the attack and has linked the resumption of the dialogue process to the action taken by Pakistan against the group.
