If Pak kills, it’ll have to pay a price, says Arun Jaitley

If Pakistan inflicts injuries on India, the costs are going to be far heavier for them, Union finance minister Arun Jaitley has said, asserting that there is a shift in India’s approach towards dealing with cross-border tensions as it has “suffered enough in silence” for Pakistan’s terror export. He also lashed out at Pakistan for consistently violating the 2003 ceasefire saying the “de facto violation has become de jure violation.”

“The new normal is that India doesn’t accept that Pakistan can keep sending terrorists and keep inflicting injury on India. If they do that then costs are going to be much heavier,” Mr Jaitley was quoted by news agencies as telling a TV channel.

“The 2003 ceasefire was being violated by Pakistan. After all what is terrorism- you train people, you smuggle them in. Today, de facto violation has become de jure violation,” he was quoted as telling the TV channel.

“We have suffered enough in silence and we have been taking just some diplomatic initiatives. I think times have now changed and the Government of India has a more proactive approach. And, the proactive approach is if you indulge in terrorism in India and kill people across the border then there is a cost involved and you will have to pay a price for it. I think that policy of the government of India is extremely clear,” the finance minister was quoted as saying. He also pointed out that the internal turmoil in Pakistan has further made its position precarious.

“We paid a price in Uri and in Pathankot. But it was a one-sided price. Today the cost Pakistan has to pay is far heavier and Pakistan in a very precarious situation as far as their own government, democracy and civil-military relationships are concerned. Therefore, the cost involved for Pakistan is extremely severe,” Mr Jaitley was quoted as saying.