NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said that the Modi government will look at the local public sentiment before taking a call on whether to help crisis-hit Pakistan. “…if I were to look at any big decision I am making, I will also look at what is the public sentiment. I would have a pulse what do my people feel about it. And I think you know the answer,” he added.
The Union minister hit out at Pakistan over its economic predicament, suggesting that the neighboring nation's support to terror group poses a hindrance for its economic prosperity. "No country is ever going to come out of a difficult situation and become a prosperous power if its basic industry is terrorism," he said at Asia Economic Dialogue in the national capital organized by the external affairs ministry.
“Terrorism is a fundamental issue in [India’s] relationship with Pakistan … we must not be in denial of it,” Jaishankar added. The remarks come just days after Jaishankar criticized Pakistan for leading itself into a crippling economic crisis.
- Earlier, in an interview with ANI, Jaishankar said the country’s future is largely determined by its actions and the choices it makes.
- “Nobody reaches a difficult situation suddenly and without cause,” he had said.
- The Pakistan economy is in dire straits amid depleting forex reserves and soaring inflation.
- The country is desperately seeking a much-needed bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to pull itself out of a spiralling debt crisis.
- In order to stave off bankruptcy and debt default, the crisis-ridden country has already removed artificial caps on its currency resulting in it shedding more than a quarter of its value; fuel prices have jumped by almost a fifth and are expected to rise further; key policy rate has been hiked; and taxes on luxury items have been increased.
