Pakistani generals use terrorists as proxy to make themselves relevant: Ravi Shankar 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 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.

Prasad said the delegation during its meetings with European leaders and media interactions showed evidence of Pakistan's links to terror attacks in India and other parts of the world including UK, Germany and France, and apprised them of how Pakistan has become the epicentre of global terrorism.

"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.

"We clearly told them that Operation Sindoor was carried out in the dark of the night so that common people are not affected. We only hit the terror camps and about 100 terrorists were killed in the strike," he said.

Prasad said the Indian delegation apprised foreign interlocutors, ministers and others in the European countries that Pakistan was on its on knees, pleading for for talks after its air defence system and airbases were destroyed during Operation Sindoor.

"We especially told them when such kind of wars happen, friends will call us, greet and express solidarity also. But we told all friends that if Pakistan wants to talk, it must approach us directly through its DG Military Operations. Then the phone call came from them," he said.

"We told everywhere that Operation Sindoor is only under pause, subject to the good behaviour of Pakistan. It's is paused, there is no ceasefire," he added.

Prasad 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 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 to his oath ceremony. He even went to attend his grandson's marriage. 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.

Prasad said the delegation gave historical background of the Indo-Pak conflict during meetings with the European leaders, think tanks, media among others and asserted India has fought four conventional wars with Pakistan between 1948 and 1999 but in none of these wars, India was the aggressor.

The aggressor was Pakistan and India only responded, he added.

Responding to questions on the Indus Water Treaty, Prasad said the Indian delegation told the foreign interlocutors, parliamentarians, ministers and others it has been put in abeyance, not ended.

"We told them that it's written in the preamble of this treaty that it is being entered into with the spirit of friendship and goodwill. Both these words are written in Clause 8 of the treaty as well. When there is no goodwill, no friendship, then what is its (treaty's) meaning," he said.

"We told them that it was signed in 1960 and the government of that time had shown great mercy towards Pakistan. Eighty per cent of the rivers' water under the treaty goes to Pakistan while Punjab and Kashmir get only 20 per cent," he added. PTI PK ZMN