'India can talk to Pakistan if...': Shashi Tharoor reveals the real problem in dealing with Islamabad

The Indian delegation led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is currently in the US in the final leg of the outreach mission. (PTI/File)

The all-party parliamentary delegation led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor arrived in the US on Tuesday on its final leg of its outreach programme. Wrapping up the delegation's visit to Latin America, Tharoor delved into the issues that have compelled India to take a hard line on Pakistan, including its decision to set preconditions for any dialogue with Islamabad.

Tharoor said that that the problem in holding talks with Pakistan is not the language but finding a common vision for decency and peace. New Delhi, he said, can only engage in dialogue with Pakistan if it takes significant action against the infrastructure of terrorism visible across the country.

"If Pakistan is as innocent as they claim to be, why do they give safe haven to wanted terrorists? Why are they able to live peacefully, to conduct training camps...and further radicalise people, to equip arms and get people to practice their arms and Kalashnikovs," Tharoor said in Brazil.

"You crack down on this infrastructure of terrorism that is visible everywhere in your country. Then, of course, we can talk," he said.

"We can talk to them in Hindustani. We can talk to them in Punjabi. We can talk to them in English. There is no problem in finding common ground with Pakistan. The problem is finding a common vision for decency, for peace. We want to be left in peace, to grow and develop. They don't want to leave us alone. They want to harass us. They want to undermine us," he said.

Tharoor further said that Pakistan runs on the philosophy of "bleeding India to death by 1,000 cuts".

"They're not going to bleed (us) to death so easily. Better forget that idea," he said offering a reality check to Pakistan.

Tharoor is currently leading a delegation to Guyana, Brazil, Panama, Colombia and the United States and is now in its final leg of its visits.

Assessing the efficacy of the outreach by his delegation so far, Tharoor said that in the four countries they have visited so far, they have had a very clear success. "We have got our message through very clearly, including to those who may have had misunderstandings."

Tharoor had earlier said that Colombia had withdrawn a statement offering condolences to Pakistan for the loss of lives following India's military strikes in response to the Pahalgam attack after his delegation explained Islamabad's relentless support to cross-border terrorism.

"And as a result of getting our message through, we have certainly been able, in my view, to come back feeling that these countries understand our situation better and express full solidarity with our struggle against terrorism, which is the main purpose of our trip," Tharoor said.