Pak must desist from supporting terror groups: Uday Bhaskar

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Noting that trade and terrorism would have been the main agenda between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif, Commodore (retd.) C. Uday Bhaskar on Friday said the relationship between both sides can prosper only if Islamabad agrees to desist from supporting terror groups.

"In all likelihood, the meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Mr. Nawaz Sharif, his Pakistani counterpart, as I see it, the principle points on the agenda will be what I would describe as the two Ts, 'T' for Trade and 'T' for Terrorism," Commodore (retd.) Bhaskar told ANI here.

He pointed out that Pakistan has been very reluctant to engage in what it might call as normal trade with India.

"So, there is this reluctance on the part of Pakistan which we have seen for a decade plus going back to the days of General Musharraf and he was there and we had Prime Minister Vajpayee in NDA-I," Commodore (retd.) Bhaskar said.

"Concurrently, I think what India is experiencing is the support that Pakistan continues to provide to terror and terror related activities and groups," he said.

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Commodore (retd.) Bhaskar further said the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi's case is the principle symbol of India's concern on terrorism.

"I expect that Prime Minister Modi will bring up both these issues that in the event Pakistan can go back to the commitment they made in 2004. General Musharraf as the boss of Pakistan army, made a very earnest commitment so we believe to Prime Minister Vajpayee at that time that Pakistan would desist from supporting terror groups," Commodore (retd.) Bhaskar said.

"If we can get back to that framework I think then issues like trade and connectivity can be addressed," he added.

India and Pakistan today decided to revive the stalled dialogue process and find ways to expedite trial of the Mumbai attack case as Prime Ministers Modi and his counterpart Nawaz Sharif agreed to cooperate to eliminate terrorism from South Asia.

The two leaders, who met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Ufa, Russia, discussed entire the gamut of issues between both sides.

Foreign Secretaries S Jaishankar and Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, who held a joint press meet after the meeting, said both countries have condemn terrorism in all forms and decide to take steps to deal with the menace.

They said that the meeting between the two Prime Ministers was cordial, adding that both sides have agreed to hold collective responsibility to ensure peace and development and to do so they are prepare to discuss all outstanding issues.

The two Asian neighbours also decided to release the fishermen in each other's custody within 15 days.