Don’t prejudge outcome of Pakistan visit: Krishna

Ahead of his upcoming visit to Pakistan, External affairs Minister S M Krishna said, on Thursday, that Delhi was following a step-by-step process in normalising relations with its neighbour, and noted that the out come of hi s visit should not be “prejudged”.

Speaking to reporters at a press interaction to mark Mekong Ganga ministerial meeting, Krishna said, “India is of the view that normalisation of relations is a step-by-step process”.

He will be in Pakistan from September 7 to 9, and will hold discussions with Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar on Saturday. Hoping to bring down the hype around the visit, he urged, “the outcome of my visit should not be prejudged”.

“I will take with me the message of serious intent of the government and people of India to resolve outstanding issues between India and Pakistan through dialogue in an atmosphere free from terror and violence,” said Krishna.

Reminding reporters of his last visit to Islamabad in 2010, the minister said that there was a “huge difference” in the status of bilateral relations between the two countries.

That visit is remembered infamously for the press conference, in which the then Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had compared the reference of the Indian home secretary to the 26/11 mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawa leader Hafeez Saeed.

Krishna had been criticised for not rebutting Qureshi at the conference. “When I visited Pakistan in 2010, the visit did create positive vibes, but at the same time there were still questions that remained unanswered,” he said, adding, “But, when I go there now, I go with greater enthusiasm”.