NEW DELHI: The ministry of external affairs (MEA) on Friday took a swipe at a comment by Pakistan foreign minister Ishaq Dar on normalising bilateral ties with India wherein he stated that better relations would require mutual willingness, adding that “it takes two to tango”.
Hitting out at Dar’s comment, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: “The relevant ‘T’ word there is ‘terrorism‘ and not ‘tango’…”
Pakistan foreign minister Ishaq Dar had told reporters on Thursday, “It takes two to tango,” indicating that diplomatic progress requires effort from both sides.
‘Lost brother’ Bangladesh
Dar also highlighted Pakistan’s foreign policy under the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government, which took office last year. He announced his Bangladesh visit scheduled for next month, in efforts to strengthen ties with neighbouring countries.
“Bangladesh is like a lost brother. We aim to strengthen economic and trade cooperation,” he said, adding that was invited by Bangladesh’s chief adviser Muhamad Yunus during a meeting in Cairo recently.
“When we assumed office, there was a perception of diplomatic isolation. However, by expanding our diplomatic reach and engaging with regional neighbours, this perception has changed,” Dar stated.
Diplomacy with Afghanistan
Dar also emphasised on Pakistan’s desire to strengthen ties with Kabul but acknowledged that terrorism remains a significant challenge. He criticised former intelligence chief Gen Faiz Hameed for engaging in talks with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and noted that recent visits to Kabul were postponed due to ongoing terrorist attacks.
Pakistan has experienced a surge in terrorist activities since the Afghan Taliban came to power in 2021 and has urged Kabul to prevent militant groups from using Afghan soil to target Pakistan.
Dar also announced progress in Pakistan’s nuclear energy sector, unveiling the Chashma 5 (C-5) nuclear power project. Finalised with China in 2023, this follows the completion of the K2 and K3 nuclear projects.
Meanwhile, outgoing Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch dismissed rumours about the military use of Gwadar port, describing it as a key development project supported by China.”Gwadar port is for Pakistan’s development, built with the support of China,” she stated during her final briefing.
