India waits 26/11 ‘balm’, PM’s Pak visit unlikely
18 Nov 2012 4:54 AM IST
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's much-speculated visit to Pakistan seems extremely unlikely with India indicating Friday that there is ‘a very small window’, and stressing that people were still waiting for the ‘balm’ to heal the wounds of 26/11.
‘There is a very small window for the PM's visit to Pakistan,’ a highly-placed source in the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday.
‘The window is very small because they (Pakistan) are moving very fast towards their elections next year. I am not very sure that the visit of that nature is possible and probable during that window, which is very short,’ said MEA source.
Delhi treaded cautiously, however, saying it was not exactly linking the visit to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, but has made it clear many times that Indians haven't forgotten hurt inflicted by the 26/11 attacks in which 10 Pak nationals were involved.
‘This is not a preconditional approach. There are things that have hurt us greatly. The sense of hurt is not over,’ the MEA source said. ‘We owe it to our people that we haven't forgotten the hurt. We need a little balm. We need some delivery,’ said the source.
‘Whether we are bitter, the answer is no. Whether we have forgotten, the answer is no. Therefore, a little balm is necessary to give us the strength and courage to move forward and that is all we expect from Pakistan,’ the source added. ‘There must be some delivery. We are ready for some delivery, so that we can move forward and all this has to be kept in mind when the PM decides what the path will be,’ according to the official.
‘There is a very small window for the PM's visit to Pakistan,’ a highly-placed source in the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday.
‘The window is very small because they (Pakistan) are moving very fast towards their elections next year. I am not very sure that the visit of that nature is possible and probable during that window, which is very short,’ said MEA source.
Delhi treaded cautiously, however, saying it was not exactly linking the visit to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, but has made it clear many times that Indians haven't forgotten hurt inflicted by the 26/11 attacks in which 10 Pak nationals were involved.
‘This is not a preconditional approach. There are things that have hurt us greatly. The sense of hurt is not over,’ the MEA source said. ‘We owe it to our people that we haven't forgotten the hurt. We need a little balm. We need some delivery,’ said the source.
‘Whether we are bitter, the answer is no. Whether we have forgotten, the answer is no. Therefore, a little balm is necessary to give us the strength and courage to move forward and that is all we expect from Pakistan,’ the source added. ‘There must be some delivery. We are ready for some delivery, so that we can move forward and all this has to be kept in mind when the PM decides what the path will be,’ according to the official.
Next Story
