India wish to have constructive ties with Pak: SM Krishna

NEW DELHI: Indian external affairs minister SM Krishna Wednesday said India wished to have constructive relations with Pakistan, but wanted an environment free from terror and reining in of anti-India jihadi leaders.

In a suto moto statement in Lok Sabha, the external minister said he had conveyed India’s desire to work with Pakistan to reduce the trust deficit with the neighbour.

He said India was committed to build “a relationship of trust and mutually-beneficial cooperation in conformity with the determination of the people of both countries to see an end to terrorism and violence and to realise their aspirations for peace and development”.

The external affairs minister said he had underscored the importance that India attached to the fulfillment of commitments made by Pakistan with regard to trial and investigation in Pakistan into the 2008 Mumbai attacks during his talks with his Pakisatan counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar.

“I requested Pakistan to act on the assurance given to our home minister by Pakistan interior minister in June 2010, on the dossiers regarding seven specific individuals and the need to provide voice samples,” Krishna said.

Pakistan was asked to investigate the linkages with “some elements in the Pakistani security agencies” that had emerged from the evidence presented in the Tahawwur Rana trial in the United States, he said.

The minister said he had also conveyed India’s displeasure over Khar’s meeting with Hurriyat leaders even before bilateral discussions between the two governments could commence.

Khar, in turn, said she had met Hurriyat leaders because Pakistan wanted to “engage all the stake-holders”, Krishna stated.