‘Irrevocably abjure’ cross-border terror: India on Pakistan's willingness for talks

India on Thursday asked Pakistan to “irrevocably abjure” its support for cross-border terrorism after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently expressed his willingness to hold talks and resolve all outstanding issues with New Delhi.

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Responding to Pakistan PM Sharif’s call, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India’s position in regard to engagement with Pakistan, has been clearly consistent.

“You are well aware of our position that any India-Pakistan engagement has to be bilateral. At the same time, we are clear that talks and terror don’t go together. On terrorism itself, we are open to discussing the handing over of terrorists from Pakistan to India whose list was given to Pakistan some years ago,” he said.

He also underlined that any bilateral discussion on Jammu and Kashmir will only be on the “vacation of illegally occupied Indian Territory of Pakistan”.

On the Indus Water Treaty, he said, it will remain in abeyance until Pakistan “credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism”.

“As the Prime Minister has said, and I would like to repeat his words, terror and talks cannot come together...blood and water can’t flow together,” he said.

On May 27, Pakistan PM Sharif said Islamabad was ready to hold talks and resolve all outstanding issues with New Delhi, including Kashmir, terrorism, water sharing and trade.

“We want to resolve all disputes, including the Kashmir issue and the water issue, through negotiations and are also ready to talk to our neighbour on trade and counter-terrorism,” he said in Tehran.

Pakistan PM Sharif’s remarks came just days after India and Pakistan announced ceasefire after days of escalated tensions along the borders  following the Pahalgam terrorist attack of April 22 that left 26 civilians dead. India in response launched Operation Sindoor to crackdown on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). There has been renewed willingness from Pakistan to engage in talks with India after Operation Sindoor.