ATTARI:
India today asked Pakistan to end the atmosphere of terror along the border, saying that New Delhi wants to maintain friendly relations with the neighbouring country.
“Pakistan should ponder as to how long this atmosphere of terror (‘dehshat gardi ki mahol) will continue. I want to ask Pakistan, how long do you want to keep the border red with terrorism? It must come to an end,” Home Minister Rajnath Singh said at a BSF function at this border crossing point between India and Pakistan near Amritsar in Punjab.
Recalling a statement by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Singh said one can change his or her friend but not neighbours and that is why the NDA Government wanted friendly relations with Pakistan.
Lauding Vajpayee’s peace initiative with the neighbouring country in the late 90s, Singh said this was the same Wagah- Attari border from where the former prime minister had started his peace initiative with Pakistan.
“Vajpayee had offered the hand of friendship to Pakistan. He not only wanted friendly relations with Pakistan but heart- to-heart relations between the people of the two countries.
“But what did we get in return? Kargil war,” he said.
The Home Minister said India won that war and wants to move forward and make friendship with Pakistan “but, so far, we have not been able to achieve what we want”. (AGENCIES)
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