Pak put at risk substantial gains: Pranab

Agencies

Dubai: Pakistan''s failure to keep its commitment of not allowing its territory to be used for terrorism has put "at risk" the "substantial gains" made during the last few years of the composite dialogue process, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said.

In an interview to Dubai-based Khaleej Times, Mukherjee said the bilateral talks have been put on hold, with no meeting held or scheduled between the two neighbours. He also said that the progress in bilateral relations depends on Pakistan's response to India's demand for action against terrorists based in that country.

"Our composite dialogue process, started in 2004, was premised on this commitment. Clearly, Pakistan has not kept its word. The composite dialogue process with Pakistan has been paused. No meeting has taken place and neither are any scheduled," he said.

According to Mukherjee, "substantial gains, made during the last four or five years, in normalising our relations, are at risk". "Future progress in our bilateral relations depend on Pakistan's response, not only in words, but also through substantive actions," he told the paper.

For India, he said, "logical conclusion" means perpetrators of terrorist acts are brought to book and terror network and infrastructure dismantled completely.