PM Modi should not be in hurry to resume talks with Pakistan: Congress

The party asked the PM to wait for assurance from Islamabad that the cross-border terrorism would be brought to an end

Questioning the BJP-led NDA Government's initiative to start the dialogue process with Pakistan, the Congress Party on Thursday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to be in a hurry and wait for assurance from Islamabad that the cross-border terrorism would be brought to an end.

"The Congress Party has always been saying that talks are the only solution to the problems of India and Pakistan. In the past, the BJP and Prime Minister Modi were shouting during the UPA regime that there should be no talks between the two nations," Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said.

"They used to say that they would not tolerate cross border firing and terrorism. More than 400 jawans have been martyred ever since this government has come into power," he added.

He asserted that Prime Minister Modi should first wait for the terrorist activities to stop and only then resume the bilateral talks.

"The Prime Minister should get assurance from Pakistan that there would be no cross border terrorism and should not be in a hurry," he said.

India and Pakistan had yesterday announced the commencement of a "comprehensive" bilateral dialogue.

Addressing a joint press conference with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, "We have decided to start a fresh and call the commencement of dialogue as comprehensive bilateral dialogue. It was earlier known as 'composite' dialogue, which later came to be known as 'resumed' dialogue."

Under the dialogue, both nations agreed to discuss peace and security, Confidence Building Measures (CBMs), Jammu and Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek, Wullar Barrage/Tulbul Navigation Project, economic and commercial cooperation, counter-terrorism, narcotics control and humanitarian issues, people to people exchanges and religious tourism.