The dangers of terrorism emanating from Pakistan took centre-stage once again on Saturday as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh cautioned that “another instance of attack” by Pakistani terrorists would give India-Pakistan relations a “setback”, although it was evident that progress in economic and trade relations was an attainable objective.
He said both he and Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani were conscious of this. Addressing the media on his flight back from the Maldives, where he had gone to attend the 17th Saarc Summit, Dr Singh described India-Pakistan relations as “accident-prone”.
Replying to a series of questions, the PM was categorical that the peace process with Pakistan cannot progress if Indian public opinion was not satisfied that justice was done in the case of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. He said “our government has given solid evidence to Pakistan”.
Asked why he had called Mr Gilani a “man of peace” at the Saarc summit, and whether it was something in particular the Pakistan leader had done to earn the encomium, the PM said in the course of four or five interactions with the Pakistan leader in the last two years Mr Gilani appeared to be of the view that terrorism was wrecking his country and also spoiling ties with India, which he seemed to want mended. But he also observed in this context that the issue really was not one of placing “blind faith” in a particular individual when it came to state relations. He recalled the US saying from the Cold War era that it was always prudent to “trust, but verify”.
Asked if he planned to visit Pakistan as part of the forward movement process, Dr Singh said this would be advisable “only if we can do some solid business together”.
Reminded that while civilian governments in Pakistan occasionally talked peace with India, the military establishment spiked such ideas, the PM said for the first time he had got the impression from Mr Gilani that the Army “was on board” in the effort of taking forward the dialogue with India.