Jaishankar to UK Foreign Secretary: ‘Perpetrators of Evil’ Can't Be Put at Par With Victims
New Delhi: During talks with UK foreign secretary David Lammy on June 6, external affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said that India “will never countenance perpetrators of evil being put at par with their victims,” in a reference to recent statements following the Pahalgam terror attack and the four-day-long hostilities with Pakistan.
Lammy’s one-day visit marks the first by a senior Western official to both India and Pakistan since the two sides agreed to a ceasefire on May 10. In Islamabad last month, Lammy had said that the UK and US were working to help ensure the truce holds.
In opening remarks at the delegation level talks, Jaishankar first thanked the visiting minister for the “strong condemnation” of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and for “support to India in the fight against terrorism”.
“We practice a policy of zero tolerance against terrorism and expect our partners to understand it, and we will never countenance perpetrators of evil being put at par with its victims,” he said.
These words seem a reflection of Indian government’s ire over Lammy’s recent statement during his visit to Islamabad when he had not only stated that US and UK were working to enduring ceasefire, but also to work on how to get to “confidence and confidence-building measures between the two sides”. It was the first visit by a UK foreign secretary to Pakistan since 2021.
In an interview to Reuters, Lammy said, "We want the situation to be maintained, but of course we recognise fragility, particularly in the backdrop of terrorism, terrorism designed to destabilise India," Lammy said, adding, "We are keen to continue to work with our Indian partners on counter-terrorism measures."
Lammy said the two sides also discussed ways to deepen economic ties between the UK and India. Negotiations on a free trade agreement were wrapped up early last month.
During his short visit, the UK foreign secretary also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who reiterated his invitation for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to visit India at a mutually convenient time.
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