NEW DELHI; Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar Jan 11 said there would be no letup in the country’s effort to defend its sovereignty even while continuing its efforts to improve relations with Pakistan.
Replying to a discussion on the Punjab situation in the parliament prime minister said the government was going ahead with an open heart to improve relations with Pakistan as India sincerely wanted friendship with it.
However if Pakistan thought that it could lull India into complacency by engaging it into talks and hit it at a time of its choosing such a move would prove very costly for it. Pakistan should not cherish any such illusion he said up in effort
Prime minister said he did not know as to why some people felt quite uncomfortable over his talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Mr Nawaz Sharif.
Prime Minister said it had been India’s endeavor all along since independence to normalize relations with Pakistan.
He reminded the house that M.K. Gandhi had announced soon after independence his intention to visit Pakistan. But this could not happen due to his assassination.
He said Nehru and successive prime ministers also continued their efforts to improve relations between the two countries.
Earlier several members cautioned the prime minister to be careful and not to accept the Pakistan prime minister’s talk of cordial relations as a genuine gesture.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 18, 1991
