Talks and terrorism cannot go on at the same time, says all-party delegation leader Baijayant Panda

Manama [Bahrain], May 25 (ANI): The all-party delegation from India to Bahrain, led by BJP MP Baijayant Panda explained India’s measured and calibrated response towards Pakistan’s actions and brought to attention how terror emanating from Pakistan has been a threat not only to India but to world peace at large.

Speaking in Bahrain on Saturday, BJP MP Baijayant Panda shared how India has time and again extended an olive branch to Pakistan, however, the efforts have not been reciprocated. 

“Earlier we tried everything. We have tried talks with them. We have tried peace initiatives. Prime ministers have gone in bus… Nothing has worked. But finally, India's change doctrine is as follows… that we can and we will retaliate… So this time also our response was clear. It was very precise, very measured. And non-escalatory in nature until they decided to escalate it further.” 

He added, “Talks and terrorism cannot go on at the same time. Blood and water cannot flow at the same time… We want friendly relations, but talks have not helped. Cultural exchanges have not helped… If Pakistan takes credible steps to undo its terror infrastructure and take action against the terrorists… we will be more than happy to respond with friendly steps. That's what we would wish.”

Former envoy Harsh Vardhan Shringla told the gathering about India’s response to the horrific attack in Pahalgam. He said, “Our Strikes were focused on the infrastructure of terrorism inside Pakistan. So, as you would see from the satellite pictures. The strikes have been very, very precise and calibrated. There has been hardly any collateral damage, and from that perspective, we wanted to say that our fight is against terrorism.”

He added, “Pakistan upped the ante by sending as many as 800 projectiles through drones, through loitering munitions, through fixed wing aircraft, through quadcopters any which way possible… but the damage was in many senses minimal because our indigenous systems- the Akash system and other systems that were there were able to withstand in a certain sense comparable to any Iron Dome, the sort of onslaught that Pakistan had… It is a testimony to the success of our indigenous defence manufacturing as part of ‘Make in India’.”

He further underscored, “It is not a strike which is on innocent civilians. It is a strike at the heart of terrorism… I think it is very important that the international community stands with us… Terrorism will affect everybody. The leader of our delegation has already pointed out that there's a history of terrorism emanating from Pakistan that has affected countries across the world, not just India. So whether it is 9/11 or bombings in London or anywhere else, there is a link with Pakistan, which is the epicentre of terrorism, and we have to deal with it in a unified manner across the globe.”

Speaking during the interaction about the IMF and Pakistan, MP Nishikant Dubey said, “From last two, three days, IMF is insisting Pakistan... don't divert this money anywhere else."

His remarks came amid the background of the 11 additional conditions imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Pakistan. 

According to a report by Pakistan-based Express Tribune, the IMF has placed 11 new conditions on Pakistan for the release of the next tranche of the bailout package meant for its struggling economy.

Among the conditions is the approval of a Rs 17.6 trillion budget for the financial year 2025-26, in line with IMF targets. Another condition asks Pakistan to implement new Agriculture Income Tax laws. This includes setting up systems for return filing, taxpayer registration, communication efforts, and a compliance plan. The deadline for this is June 2025. A third condition requires the publication of a governance action plan based on the IMF's Governance Diagnostic Assessment. The IMF also wants Pakistan to prepare and publish a financial sector strategy for the period after 2027, outlining its institutional and regulatory plans from 2028 onwards.

During the event, BJP MP Rekha Sharma reiterated the stance of PM Modi in her remarks that terror and talks cannot go on.

The all-party delegation, led by BJP MP Baijayant Panda, includes Nishikant Dubey MP, BJP; Phangnon Konyak, MP, BJP; Rekha Sharma MP, NJP; Asaduddin Owaisi MP, AIMIM; Satnam Singh Sandhu MP; Ghulam Nabi Azad; and Ambassador Harsh Shringla.

The delegation aims to brief international partners on India's response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and its broader fight against cross-border terrorism while engaging with leaders in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Algeria. (ANI)