NEW DELHI, Feb 23: India wants better ties with Pakistan but the peace process will only bear fruit if Islamabad fully curbs “cross-border terrorism”, the Indian president said on Friday, days after Samjhota Express was bombed.
President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, laying out government policy at the start of the parliament’s first session of the year, said New Delhi was still worried about the infiltration of militants into India from Pakistan and attacks launched by them. “The success of the dialogue process is predicated on Pakistan fulfilling its commitment not to permit any territory under its control to be used to support terrorism in any manner,” he told lawmakers.
Investigators are yet to make much progress on the Samjhota attack. But suspicion has fallen on Muslim extremists opposed to the peace moves.
“We should not allow this tragic event to affect our common quest for normalisation of relations between India and Pakistan,” Kalam said.
Kalam, whose position is largely ceremonial, did not directly mention the train attack in his hour-long speech, which covered a wide range of topics. The speech is prepared in consultation with the prime minister and other top officials, and is meant to represent the government's focus for the coming year.—Agencies
