Undeterred by JuD, Hzbul warnings, Rajnath Singh to visit Pakistan today, Pathankot attack on agenda

New Delhi: Undeterred by the threats posed by terror outfits like Jamaat-ud-Dawah and Hizbul Mujahideen, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Islamabad on Wednesday where he will also raise the issue of Pathankot airbase attack in which seven military personnel were killed by terrorists from Pakistan in January.

The Home Minister will also raise Pakistan's lack of cooperation to go after terrorists who executed the attack and also the support to terror groups operating from Pakistan.

Singh, 65, is the first senior Indian minister to visit Pakistan after the Pathankot attack, and at a time when Kashmir is on the boil. New Delhi blames Islamabad for supporting the unrest in Kashmir.

 

 

At the 7th SAARC home/interior ministers' meet in Islamabad, the Home Minister will also raise concerns about fake currency and narcotics smuggling from Pakistan.

Although Pakistan indicated a bilateral meeting of the Home Ministers was possible, India has firmly rejected any such suggestion. "There will be no bilateral meeting. On the contrary, India's posture will be tough," a senior Home Ministry official said.

In a first, India had allowed Pakistan's Joint Investigation Team to visit the Pathankot base, collect evidence and interact with the National Investigation Agency. Pakistan, however, didn't either follow-up the leads nor did it allow an Indian team of investigators to visit Pakistan.

Meanwhile, India has conveyed to Pakistan that Singh faces a threat from terrorist groups like the Jamaat-ud-Dawaah, Lashkar-e-Toiba, the United Jihad Council and its constituents like Hizbul Mujahedeen.

"In Pakistan, the Home Minister faces multiple threats and this has been conveyed," a senior official was quoted as saying.

Wanted terrorist Hafiz Saeed has threatened protests in Pakistan against Singh's visit.