New Delhi, May 15 (UNI) It was clear who wanted the “cessation of fighting”, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said today as he revealed that Pakistan was not willing to “stand down” on May 7 but was “willing to talk” on May 10 after being hit hard.

He also maintained that any talks with Pakistan would be bilateral in nature and the subjects would be only about shutting down the terror infrastructure in that country and retrieval of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

Speaking to media persons here in context of ‘Operation Sindoor’ under which nine major terror camps in Pakistan and PoJK were targeted, Jaishankar said the message was clear to Islamabad that India was striking at terrorist infrastructure there and not the military.

“So, the military had an option of standing out and not interfering in the process. (But) they chose not to take the good advice,” he said.

“Once they got hit as badly as they did, on the morning of May 10…. The same people who were not willing to stand down on 7th May, were willing to talk and stand down the 10th of May,” the External Affairs Minister said, adding “(so) it is very clear who wanted the cessation of firing.”

To substantiate the point that Pakistan had suffered badly in the Indian attacks, he referred media persons to the satellite pictures “which bring out very graphically how much damage we did.”

“…These pictures will tell you what a hit they too….the satellite pictures also bring out how little damage they did (to India),” he said while speaking to reporters outside the new Honduras Embassy which was inaugurated by him today.

“We have achieved the goals that we set out to do, by destroying the terrorist infrastructure, in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Muzaffarabad and other places,.”

Regarding the issue of holding dialogue, the External Affairs Minister said India will talk bilaterally only with Pakistan, and that too only on the issue of fighting terrorism.

“Where our dealings with Pakistan are concerned, they will be bilateral and strictly bilateral,” he said in comments which amount to a rebuff to the US which has been offering to mediate between the two sides.

Jaishankar also reiterated that on the issue of Kashmir, India will only discuss with Pakistan the issue of “vacation of the illegally occupied part of Indian territory in POK”.

“That is a national consensus for many years, and there is absolutely no change in that consensus that dealings with Pakistan will be bilateral.”

On talks with Pakistan, he said, “I think the PM made it very clear, that the only talks with Pakistan will be on terror; that Pakistan has a list of terrorists who need to be handed over, they have to shut down the terrorist infrastructure, they know what to do.

“We are prepared to discuss with them on what is to be done on terrorism, those are the talks which are feasible.”

On the Indus Waters Treaty, he said the accord is “held in abeyance and will continue to be held in abeyance until cross border terrorism by Pakistan is credibly and irrevocably stopped.”

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