Terming Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde’s remark that Pakistan’s spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was training Sikh youths as “baseless” and “unwarranted,” Pakistan High Commission on Thursday said both nations should sort out all issues through constructive dialogue.
“Pakistan has consistently endeavoured to improve relations with India. This has been articulated emphatically by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. It is extremely important that everything be done to build an atmosphere of trust and confidence between the two countries. As neighbours, all issues should be sorted out through dialogue for which official mechanisms exist,” Pakistan High Commission’s spokesperson commented on Mr. Shinde’s statement.
While addressing the Chief Ministers’ Conference on internal security on Wednesday, Mr. Shinde said the ISI was trying to revive militancy in Punjab and that it was training youths in camps. “There have also been some significant developments on the Sikh militancy front. Its commanders based in Pakistan are under pressure from the ISI to further the ISI’s terror plans not only in Punjab, but also in other parts of the country. Sikh youth are being trained in ISI facilities in Pakistan,” he had said.
The Union Home Minister had further noted that “interdictions and interrogations have revealed the use of jailed cadres, unemployed youth, criminals and smugglers by Pakistan-based Sikh terror groups for facilitating terror attacks.” “Sikh youth based and settled in Europe and the U.S. are also being motivated in this regard,” he had said
