Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh took a dim view of Pakistan Premier Imran Khan’s remark that a win for Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha elections will revive hopes for Indo-Pak peace, saying he should instead ensure that terrorism is wiped out completely from his country.
Singh also said that India would extend all help to Pakistan in fighting terrorism if it shows sincerity in eradicating the menace emanating from its soil.
Asked during an interview to PTI on Sunday whether the recent statement by Khan that it would be good for peace between India and Pakistan if BJP and Modi returned to power showed he was a fan of the Indian premier, Singh said, “Only he (Khan) can reply to that”.
After a brief pause, Singh smilingly said if Khan was so serious of wanting Modi to return to power and normalize relations with India then he should first announce that terrorism would neither be nurtured nor allowed to thrive in Pakistan and take effective steps to stamp put terrorism.
“Pakistan should announce that terrorism will be wiped out completely from their country and if need be help of India can be taken. If such a statement comes from Pakistan, we will believe that Imran Khan is really a Modi fan and wishes to normalise relations with India,” he said.
To a question whether India would be willing to help Pakistan, Singh said, “India will wholeheartedly support such a step”.
A day before the first phase of polling for Lok Sabha elections on April 10, Khan met with a group of foreign journalists for an interaction in Islamabad during which he expressed the hope that India-Pakistan peace had a better chance under Mr. Modi
