NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in Srinagar on Thursday that there were no pre-conditions for talks with Pakistan but cautioned they could make headway without ‘effective control’ of the terror groups operating across the border.

Asked at a press conference as he wound up a two-day trip of the disputed region if his statement on Wednesday that Pakistan should destroy terror camps was a pre-condition for talks, Dr Singh said: ‘It is not a pre-condition. But there is a practical way of looking at (things). Negotiations can’t make headway unless Pakistan brings under effective control these terror groups.’

Dr Singh’s peace overture came as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton toured Pakistan though he insisted India will ‘not act under pressure of anybody’.

The peace initiative came also after the Islamic nations of OIC pitched for a resolution of the Kashmir issue even if India overtly rejected the comments. China too had introduced an enigmatic element by issuing distinctly different visas to residents of Jammu and Kashmir. The move annoyed Delhi.

Perhaps the most important factor in the timing of the announcement of peace talks was the successful conclusion of the state elections in Maharashtra recently in which Dr Singh’s Congress party managed to retain power.

The lowest percentage of votes (36 per cent) were cast in the posh Colaba district of Mumbai, the venue of the terror attack in last November. This has been taken to suggest that contrary to common belief terrorism was not a popular issue with Indian voters.

Dr Singh said since India was a democracy unabated terrorist attacks targeting innocent civilians would not be conducive to ‘create an atmosphere for negotiations’.

He said: ‘Negotiations can’t make headway unless Pakistan brings under control the terrorist elements which aid and abet terrorism in India.’

The prime minister made it clear that Pakistan’s actions against those believed to be behind the Mumbai attacks were not satisfactory and expressed the hope that Islamabad would bring all the perpetrators of 26/11 attacks to justice.

He described as ‘far-fetched and far from truth’ Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik’s charge that India was abetting violence in Balochistan and funding Taliban.

‘I have said earlier that India had no role in Balochistan and those who level these charges, the senior minister in Pakistan, know jolly well that there is no truth in it.’ Asked if India was satisfied with Pakistan’s steps on Mumbai attacks, he said: ‘Obviously we are not satisfied with action taken by Pakistan. We sincerely hope that Pakistan government will bring all the perpetrators of 26/11 attacks to justice.’

In his opening statement, he expressed the hope that his appeal for dialogue with all sections of the people of Jammu and Kashmir will be reciprocated in the spirit in which he had made the appeal on Wednesday.

To a question about Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Farooq justifying the use of gun, Dr Singh said he did not want to read too much into what was said in anger.

‘I hope all those who believe in the good of Jammu and Kashmir will respond favourably to my appeal for dialogue. We are willing to engage in discussions with every group and all those who want abjure violence,’ he said.