With terror, Pakistan 'successfully prevented' talks: Jaitley

New Delhi, June 1: Defence Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday said the BJP government had taken enough steps to ease tension with Pakistan but Islamabad responded with cross-border terrorism to “successfuly” prevent the atmosphere needed for peace talks.

The government took “significant steps to ease the situation”, which included inviting Pakistan Prime Minister waz Sharif for Prime Minister rendra Modi’s oath ceremony and Modi’s December 2015 Lahore stopover for a social function at the Sharifs.

“Each one of these was responded by Pakistan with, let’s say, a Pathankot or an Uri or even the mutilation of two of our soldiers. Environment which must exist for talks was successfully prevented by Pakistan,” Jaitely told the media, referring to terror attacks in India.

The Minister said the Indian armed forces, which include the Army and the BSF, have been domiting the LoC — the de facto border with Pakistan — for the “past few weeks” to curb the cross-border militant incursion. (IANS)