New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday reminded Pakistan that what Islamabad is facing in Lal Masjid today, India has been bearing much more of the same for years in Jammu and Kashmir.
"The dangers of fundamentalism are now being realised in that country," the Prime Minister said in an apparent reference to the Lal Masjid episode.
"Pakistan is seeing terrorism for the first time. What is happening in Pakistan, thinking people have realised fundamentalism is perverse and dangerous to society," he said. Describing terrorism as a 'curse', Singh said: "Terrorism is a common enemy. It is a menace. We are dealing with it. It is a difficult situation. I understand what is happening."
When referred to the Lal Masjid episode involving heavy exchange of fire between radical clerics and security forces in the heart of Islamabad since Tuesday, Singh said "fundamentalism is dangerous to any society.”
The Prime Minister was interacting with a group of women journalists in the capital. He said the Indo-Pak dialogue process has slowed down because of the 'situation' in Pakistan. "The dialogue has slowed down, not because of us, but because of the situation in Pakistan," he said.
Recalling his meetings with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, he said they had talked about common agenda, about making borders irrelevant and promoting trade "and we have come to a broad understanding."
Singh said the Indo-Pak talks have never been so intensive in the history of the two countries. "We can't say we have a solution, but we have made progress on all aspects of relations (with Pakistan)," the Prime Minister said.
On whether he would be visiting Pakistan, Singh said he has been invited and will go "at an appropriate time".
(With PTI inputs)
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