"No good relations at cost of India's integrity": MoS Lekhi slams Pak at Astana meet

Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi on Thursday ruled out any talks with Pakistan at the cost of India's integrity.

In an exclusive interview within Astana, MoS Lekhi reiterated that Pakistan should dismantle terror infrastructure and get on the better side of law and order.

"I advise Pakistan to dismantle terror infrastructure in their country and get on the better side of law and order, then you can have a conversation with India. We want good relations with all our neighbours including Pakistan but not at the cost of India's integrity," the minister said after the conclusion of the Conference of Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) summit here.

"One must understand that all the investments that they (Pakistan) have made in organising & sustaining terror infrastructure, had they made that investment in developing the infrastructure of their country, then maybe many the menace would have gone away," she added.

The minister further added today Pakistan's condition is because of its own wrongdoing.

"Seeing the condition that Pakistan is in, they themselves are responsible for all the wrong they're engaged in. Recklessly raising the same issue over and over again that too at bilateral forums where bilateral issues cannot be raised and using the multilateral forum for their propaganda isn't just wrong but uncalled for", said the minister.

Earlier, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif mentioned Jammu and Kashmir during his address at the sixth CICA Summit.

Lekhi, who represented India at the summit slammed Pakistan for misusing the CICA platform to "propagate false and malicious propaganda" against India and to distract from the focus of discussions among the grouping's member states.

"The union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been and will remain an integral part of India. Pakistan has no locus standi to comment on India's internal affairs," she said.

Underlining that Pakistan remains the global epicentre of terrorism, Lekhi said it should cease cross-border terrorism against India.

"Pakistan is the global epicentre of terrorism and continues to be the source of terrorist activities including in India. Pakistan continues to make no investment in human development but provides their resources for creating and sustaining the infrastructure of terrorism," she said.

Lekhi led the Indian delegation to the 6th Summit meeting of the CICA that was being held in Astana, Kazakhstan.

As one of the founding members of CICA, India has supported CICA's initiatives, including by organizing and participating in various CICA activities.

The Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) is a multi-national forum for enhancing cooperation towards promoting peace, security and stability in Asia. It is a forum based on the recognition that there is a close link between peace, security and stability in Asia and in the rest of the world.

The Member States, while affirming their commitment to the UN Charter, believe that peace and security in Asia can be achieved through dialogue and cooperation leading to a common indivisible area of security in Asia where all states co-exist peacefully and their peoples live in peace, freedom and prosperity.

( With inputs from ANI )