Pakistani generals use terrorists as proxy to make themselves relevant: BJP MP Prasad

New Delhi, Jun 10 (PTI) A multi-party delegation which visited six European countries to convey India’s position on cross-border terrorism told foreign interlocutors that military-terror nexus in Pakistan is the main hurdle in peace between New Delhi and Islamabad, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference here, Prasad, who led the Indian delegation, said India’s stand on the April 22 Pahalgam terror strike and Operation Sindoor was “appreciated” by the foreign interlocutors including parliamentarians, ministers and think tanks, during meetings with them.

The nine-member delegation, which visited France, Italy, Denmark, the UK, Belgium and Germany from May 25 to June 7, has returned home.

“We clarified (to them) that we are not against the people of Pakistan. The problem is Pakistan’s generals (Army) with whom Pakistan’s people are also fed up,” Prasad told reporters..

He said the Indian delegation conveyed during its meetings with the European leaders that the world has to understand that Pakistan is in the grip of “military generals whose dirty jobs are done by terrorists and their training camps”.

“In the new set-up in Pakistan, they use terrorism as a proxy. Pakistani generals used these terrorists and their camps as the proxy to make themselves relevant. That’s why there could not be any peace,” he added.

“We also said every government in India, irrespective of the party in power, tried to improve relations with Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited (ex-Pakistan PM) Nawaz Sharif on his oath ceremony. He even went to attend his grandson’s marriage also. Then Uri and Pulwama (terror strikes) happened,” the BJP MP said.

Prasad said the Indian delegation also told the foreign leaders that Pakistan is not only a state in denial but the military-terror nexus in Pakistan has become a “deadly combination”.

“We talked about history. We also said that Pakistan remained in the hands of generals (Army) for about 55 years,” he said. PTI PK PK KVK KVK