Dialogue can’t succeed until Pakistan ends terror sponsorship: Adv Devraj Sharma.

Dialogue can’t succeed until Pakistan ends terror sponsorship: Adv Devraj Sharma.
Says India has repeatedly extended hand of friendship, but Pakistan has responded with terrorism; Kashmir is an integral part of India with no scope for third-party interference.
Jammu, July 2: Senior BJP leader and former Sarpanch Adv. Devraj Sharma on Thursday strongly criticized the recent appeal made by 116 prominent personalities from India and Pakistan urging the Prime Ministers of both countries to resume bilateral dialogue, asserting that any meaningful engagement with Pakistan would remain impossible unless it completely abandons terrorism as an instrument of state policy.Reacting to the joint appeal, Sharma said India has always believed in resolving disputes through peaceful dialogue and diplomacy. However, he maintained that dialogue can only succeed when both sides demonstrate sincerity, mutual trust and respect for each other’s sovereignty.
“History is testimony to the fact that India has repeatedly extended the hand of friendship to Pakistan in the interest of regional peace and stability. Unfortunately, every such initiative has been met with betrayal, cross-border terrorism and acts of violence sponsored from across the border,” he said.Sharma said from the Parliament attack to the Mumbai terror attacks, the Pathankot airbase attack, the Uri attack and the Pulwama terror strike, Pakistan has consistently failed to abandon its policy of supporting terrorism. Even today, he alleged, Pakistan continues to wage a proxy war against India by sponsoring, training and infiltrating terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir in an attempt to disturb peace and normalcy.
“Those advocating unconditional dialogue must understand the ground realities. India has never been opposed to dialogue, but talks cannot proceed alongside terrorism. A country that continues to shelter, finance and sponsor terrorist networks cannot be treated as a trustworthy partner for meaningful negotiations,” Sharma said.The BJP leader asserted that Pakistan must first demonstrate its commitment to peace through concrete action by dismantling terrorist infrastructure operating from its soil, ending cross-border infiltration and completely stopping support to terrorist organisations targeting India.
Referring to Jammu and Kashmir, Sharma reiterated that the Union Territory is an inseparable and integral part of India and that Pakistan has no locus standi to interfere in India’s internal affairs.”Kashmir is India’s internal matter. Pakistan has no legal, constitutional or moral right to interfere or make claims over the region. Instead of attempting to internationalise the issue, Pakistan should focus on ending terrorism and fulfilling its own responsibilities towards regional peace,” he said.
Sharma further observed that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have suffered enormously because of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism over the past several decades. Thousands of innocent civilians, security personnel and public representatives have lost their lives, while countless families have been displaced due to violence.
He said lasting peace in South Asia cannot be achieved merely through appeals for dialogue but requires Pakistan to create an atmosphere conducive to talks by taking visible and verifiable action against terrorism.”India desires peaceful relations with all its neighbours and has consistently demonstrated maturity and restraint. However, national security and the lives of Indian citizens cannot be compromised. Dialogue and terrorism cannot go together. The onus lies entirely on Pakistan to abandon terrorism if it genuinely seeks peace,” Sharma added.
Appealing to those advocating the resumption of talks, Sharma said any peace initiative must be based on realism rather than idealism. “Peace cannot flourish in an environment where terrorism continues to be used as an instrument of foreign policy. If Pakistan sincerely wishes to improve bilateral relations, it must first end cross-border terrorism, stop interfering in India’s internal affairs and respect India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.He reiterated that India remains committed to peace but not at the cost of its national security, sovereignty and the sacrifices made by its armed forces and citizens in combating terrorism.