By IANS,
New Delhi : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari’s description of militants in Jammu and Kashmir as “terrorists” has been welcomed in India by both the ruling Congress party and the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“We welcome this statement of the Pakistan president. People of Pakistan in general and politicians in particular now realise that both our nations need to move in the direction of development rather than weaponisation,” said Minister of State for Home Shakeel Ahmad.
“If politicians want to establish deep-rooted democracy in Pakistan then this paradigm shift will be of great help,” Ahmad of the Congress party said.
Commenting on the remark’s impact on the bilateral peace talks, he said: “It will enhance the peace process and will give an impetus to the move in that direction. The need of the hour is to establish the welfare state and this has been realized by the politicians across the border.”
Senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi saw Zardari’s comment as a positive sign. “It’s good for both countries. Pakistan has come to realise the evils of terrorism after being hit by it on its own soil.”
“Although this statement is an indication of the shift in Pakistan’s foreign policy, its realization will depend on whether Zardari will be able to control those running the parallel government,” Naqvi said.
Zardari made the comment in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, published Sunday.