India is no longer in the mood to initiate efforts to improve relations with Pakistan. After continuous deception and betrayal, India's patience has run out. This was stated by senior Congress leader and Member of Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor, on Tuesday.
New Delhi: Senior Congress leader and Member of Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor, has sent a b message to Pakistan, stating that India will no longer take the first step to initiate improving relations. India's patience has worn thin due to repeated betrayals and terrorist activities. Tharoor clearly stated that the responsibility now lies with Pakistan to prove its intentions by eradicating terrorism from its soil.
Tharoor was speaking at the launch of former diplomat Surendra Kumar's book "Whither India-Pakistan Relations Today?". During this event, he expressed his candid opinion on the past, present, and future of India-Pakistan relations.
'Now it's Pakistan's turn' – Tharoor
Tharoor said, “India has always strived for peace and harmony, but Pakistan has betrayed us every time. The time has come for Pakistan to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure flourishing on its soil. Until that happens, there will be no initiative from our side to improve relations.” He also added that Pakistan must stop trying to deceive the international community.
The United Nations Security Council Committee has a list of 52 individuals and organizations linked to terrorism. Pakistan is aware of all of them, yet no concrete action is taken. The question is, why is Pakistan not serious about closing these terrorist camps?
Historical Examples: India's Efforts and Pakistan's Betrayal
In his speech, Shashi Tharoor mentioned several historical efforts by India, which clearly reflect the intention to foster friendship with Pakistan.
- 1950: Agreement between Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistani Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan.
- 1999: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Lahore bus journey.
- 2015: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise visit to Lahore.
Tharoor said that every time India initiated efforts to improve relations, Pakistan responded with terrorism and hostility. Tharoor mentioned the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, saying that India had handed over "irrefutable evidence" against Pakistan, including live intercepts and dossiers. Despite this, no action was taken against even one mastermind in Pakistan.
He said, India showed extraordinary restraint after the 2008 attacks. But repeated provocations forced India to take steps like the surgical strike in 2016 and the Balakot airstrike. I had warned in my book ‘Pax Indica’ (2012) that if attacks like Mumbai were to happen again, India's restraint would break, and that's exactly what happened.
