Committed to addressing all outstanding issues with Pak bilaterally: Govt tells LS

New Delhi: The government Wednesday said it wants normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan and was committed to addressing all outstanding issues bilaterally as it asserted that the onus is on Islamabad for creating a terror-free environment for a meaningful dialogue.

In written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said India has asked Pakistan to take "credible and irreversible" steps to end cross-border terrorism and dismantle terrorist

infrastructure in territory under its control.

Till then, he said, India will continue to take firm and decisive steps to respond to all attempts at cross border terrorist infiltration and supporting cover fire by Pakistan forces.

"The government desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan and is committed to addressing all outstanding issues bilaterally and peacefully in accordance with the Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration," Muraleedharan said.

However, any meaningful dialogue can only be held in an atmosphere free from terror, hostility and violence, he said.

"The onus is on Pakistan to create such a conducive atmosphere," he said.

The minister said following major cross-border terror attacks in India, Indian forces carried out counter-terror surgical strike against terrorist launch pads along the Line of Control in September 2016 and a pre-emptive counter terrorism air strike against terrorist camp in Balakot, Pakistan, in February.

After the Pulwama cross-border terror attack in February, India withdrew the most favoured nation status accorded to Pakistan and imposed a customs duty of 200 per cent on all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan, he said.

The Indian government suspended cross-LoC trade from April 19, 2019, on receiving reports that cross-LoC trade routes are being misused by Pakistan-based elements for funnelling illegal weapons, narcotics and fake currency, Muraleedharan said.

He said that as a result of the government's persistent efforts, there is enhanced concern in the international community over terrorism emanating from Pakistan, including the continuing activities of internationally designated terrorist entities and individuals such as Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad, Hizbul Mujahideen.

International community strongly condemned the cross-border terrorist attack in Pulwama in February and major partner countries have called upon Pakistan to not allow its territory to be used for terrorism in any manner, he said.