Sushma Swaraj briefs Rajya Sabha on Pakistan visit

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday made a statement about her two-day visit to Pakistan and the developments in the bilateral relations between the two countries amid an uproar in Rajya Sabha.

“We raised the issue of Mumbai 26/11 attacks probe and asked Pakistan to expedite the trial process,” Swaraj was heard saying amid the din in the upper house of Parliament.

“India and Pakistan will engage in a comprehensive dialogue on all issues including peace, security and Jammu and Kashmir,” Swaraj informed the House.

Congress party members were protesting over the law and order situation in Punjab and demanded the dismissal of the state government.

“What is your problem? You are hijacking the house. Very bad,” deputy chairperson PJ Kurien told the protesting MPs in and adjourned the House till 11.30am after they refused to clear out from the well.

On December 9, India and Pakistan had announced in Islamabad that they have decided to engage in a “comprehensive” dialogue that will include peace and security, and Jammu and Kashmir.

Swaraj met Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and



his foreign affairs advisor Sartaj Aziz on the sidelines of the Heart of Asia summit. After their talks, the two sides came out with a joint statement on resumption of talks, capping a series of positive developments since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Sharif in Paris.

Three days before the joint statement, the national security advisers of both countries met in Bangkok to resume the process which had been called off in August amid an exchange of harsh rhetoric.

Sources in the government told that the NSA talks could take place only because New Delhi had asked for it before Swaraj travelled to Islamabad.

In September, when Pakistan suggested that the two foreign ministers meet in New York, the external affairs ministry got back saying such an exercise would be futile if it was not preceded by NSA-level talks.

“We then heard from Pakistan that a NSA-level meeting would be difficult at this stage because retired lieutenant general Naseer Khan Janjua had just taken over the role of the NSA and may not be prepared to lay foundation for the resumption of dialogue process,” a source in South Block said.