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The government has said Pakistan has proved once again that it is sponsoring cross-border terrorism two days after seven army personnel were killed during a terror attack in a military base in Nagrota, Jammu and Kashmir.
“The attack on the Indian Parliament, the Kaluchak massacre, the 2005 Delhi bombings, the attack on the CRPF camp in Rampur in 2008, the Mumbai terror attack, the attack on the Pathankot air base, and the attack on the Army camp in Uri -- are all reminders of the continuing complicity of Pakistan in sponsoring cross border terrorism of which Nagrota is the latest example,” said Vikas Swarup, Spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs here on Thursday.
He said Pakistan has a long record of promoting cross-border terrorism which is being used by them as an instrument of their state policy. This puts Pakistan at odds with the rest of the international community, he said.
“Over the years, India has suffered many heinous terrorist attacks which have been supported and sponsored by Pakistan. This has been a calculated strategy on the part of Pakistan for many years. So, it is evident that it is not a matter of a week or a month. It is in fact a challenge that we have faced over many years, indeed over many decades,” Swarup added.
He added that the government is awaiting more details on the specifics of the Nagrota attack to ascertain its next plan of action with Pakistan.
“But I do wish to emphasise that the Government takes this incident very seriously and will do what it feels is required for our national security,” he said.
Meanwhile, on the issue of holding bilateral talks with Pakistan Prime Minister’s Foreign Advisor Sartaj Aziz, Swarup said his ministry has not received any formal request for such a meeting.
Aziz is visiting India on Sunday for the Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference on Afghanistan.
“As we had informed you yesterday during the curtain raiser for the Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference in Amritsar that we have not received any request from Pakistan for a bilateral meeting. India has always been open to talks but obviously it cannot be that talks take place in an atmosphere of continued terrorism. India will never accept continued terrorism as the new normal of the bilateral relationship” he added.
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