Rajnath Confirms Indian Media Was 'Denied Access' to His Speech in Pakistan

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday confirmed that Indian media were denied access in Pakistan during his speech at SAARC conference on Thursday.

While briefing the Rajya Sabha on his visit to Islamabad to attend the 7th SAARC Home Ministers Meeting on August 4, Singh said, "I can't comment on PTV blackout, but yes reporters from Doordarshan, ANI, PTI were denied access when I was delivering my speech."

On the context of Pakistan Interior Minister Chudhary Nisar Ali Khan's indifferent attitude, he said, "After the meeting ended, the HM (Khan) invited all the representatives for lunch and then he left himself. I did what I wanted to do."

When asked why he skipped lunch in Islamabad, "I cut short by visit because I was not in Pakistan to have lunch."

Asserting that terrorist in one nation cannot be a martyr for another, he asked SAARC nations including Pakistan to take effective steps against state and non-state actors supporting terrorism and extradite persons involved in it.

The Home Minister said he had urged the members not to glorify terrorism or give patronage to it.

"A terrorist in one nation cannot be a martyr or freedom fighter for anyone," he said.

"They should not make the mistake of distinguishing between good terrorism and bad terrorism. It is necessary to take all effective steps against states or non-state actors encouraging or supporting terrorism," he said.

To ensure that terrorism is not encouraged, it was necessary that stringent action is not just initiated against terrorists but also against persons, organisations, institutions and states supporting them, Singh said.

He said he had suggested to the SAARC Ministers that sanctions and bans imposed against terrorists by the global community have to be honoured.

Stringent action should also be taken against persons involved in terrorism and their extradition should be ensured so that they can face the law, the Home Minister said.

"It is important for nations who have not ratified SAARC Convention on Mutual Assistance on Criminal Matters to do it," he said, adding Pakistan has so far not ratified this Convention as well as SAARC Terrorist Offenses Monitoring Desk (STOMD) and SAARC Drug Offenses Monitoring Desk (SDOMD).

"I was told on behalf of Pakistan that they will soon act on ratifying these. And I hope that 'soon' is actually soon," he said.

(With PTI inputs)