Today, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will leave for Pakistan to attend the meeting held by SAARC- the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. The event will be held on 4th August, and would be attended by home ministers’ from SAARC nations. Rajnath Singh is expected to come back to India on Thursday. Senior officials (except NSA) from HM may attend this conference with home minister.
Ministers and officials from Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan will attend the event.
Initial reports about minister’s plan suggested that he was planning to hold a separate meeting with Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan (Pakistan’s Interior Minister) to discuss Pakistani link in certain terror attacks. However, MEA’s spokesperson Vikas Swarup clarified on July 29th that there was no proposal to meet Pakistan’s interior minister separately.
During SAARC meeting, attendees are expected to discuss issues like combating the increasing menace of drugs, arms, and psychotropic substance trafficking within the concerned countries. Other issues like liberalization of visa would also be discussed between interior and home ministers from these countries. Officials from Pakistan would definitely turn red when attendees start talking about the involvement of Pakistani agencies in fake Indian currency circulation and their support to terror groups.
Threats from terrorists
Pakistan based terrorist Hafiz Saeed had recently made it in the headlines by claiming that LeT had triggered unrest in Kashmir after terrorist Wani’s encounter.
On Monday, Nawaz Sharif Government faced an embarrassing situation when Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed declared his intention to organize protests in various cities against Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit.
Welcoming Rajnath Singh would be like rubbing salt on Kashmiri people’s wounds, claimed Hafiz Saeed. During his interaction with journalists, the terrorist also said that he plans to block roads in Islamabad on the day when Rajnath Singh arrives in the city.
After the US certified terrorist Hafiz Saeed’s threat to organize countrywide protests, it was Sayeed Salahudeen’s turn to spew venom.
Terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen’s Pakistan-based chief Sayeed Salahudeen (to put it in Barkha’s words, Sayeed Salahudeen-son of Indian Postal Department’s former employee) urged Nawaz Sharif to suspend diplomatic ties and trade relations with India. He expressed his anger about Pakistan Government’s decision to invite Rajnath Singh for SAARC home minister’s conference and his ultimatum also includes the demand to get Pakistan’s New Delhi-based ambassador back.
Btw, this terrorist’s own son Syed Mueed was recently rescued by security forces during Pampore terror attack in J&K. His father carries out terror attacks against same forces.
Getting back to threats, Kiren Rijiju, the minister of state for home was approached by journalists to get his opinion about security threats to Rajnath Singh in Pakistan. The MoS said it’s Pakistan’s responsibility to offer security.
Another positive signal to notorious neighbor
Modi Government’s decision to send Rajnath Singh for this meeting is a positive signal to country’s notorious neighbor. After Pathankot terror attack, India’s relationship with Pakistan is straining. Nawaz Sharif recently added fuel to the fire by showing his support for terrorist Burhan Wani and saying that Kashmir will become part of Pakistan one day.
Home Minister and his officials have downplayed the threat; however, let’s not forget that Pakistani establishment has failed to control terror attacks funded by its own security agencies on its own land in the past. Pakistan is the country that allowed Osama Bin Laden to live and nurture near its own army base.
A report published by The Hindu has highlighted that security officials from both countries are monitoring arrangements at Islamabad’s Convention Centre and Serena Hotel. Singh is expected to stay in the hotel and attend conferences at the concerned venue.
Hope the Lok Sabha MP from Lucknow is allowed to keep his personal security with him while visiting terror’s own country.