Imran Khan 'Puppet of Pakistan Army', No Change in Their India Policy: Union Minister VK Singh
On being asked whether Imran Khan could join hands with India to end the menace of militants' infiltration, the former Army chief said it would be futile to expect change for now.
New Delhi, Sept 17: Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Gen (retd) VK Singh, called newly elected Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan a "puppet" of the Army, claiming that his regime is unlikely to mark a contradiction in the policy adopted towards India by the military.
Speaking at the 'Smart Border Management' event organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers for Commerce and Industry (FICCI), VK Singh said Imran Khan is a "proxy" of the Army. "Pakistan is still under military rule," he added. 'Pakistan Still Under Military Rule, No Proposal Received on Kartarpur Gurdwara'.
On revamping ties with Islamabad, Singh said India's stand is clear: "Atmosphere conducive for talks should be in place". He further added that the Narendra Modi government will not tolerate the pitch for talks amid cross-border terrorism.
On being asked whether Imran Khan could join hands with India to end the menace of militants' infiltration, the former Army chief said it would be futile to expect change for now.
"Did you all expect a change? If a person is propped up by army, the army still rules. Let's wait and watch how things move, whether the person remains under army's control or not," Singh said.
The Union MoS also dismissed reports which claimed that Islamabad has offered to open up the 6-km route connecting Gurdaspur in India's Punjab to Kartarpur Sahib on the other side of the border, on the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.
Singh said India has received no such proposal from Pakistan, despite the issue being raised up since decades.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 17, 2018 04:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).