Sushma Swaraj briefs Parliament amid ruckus, says Narendra Modi to visit Pakistan in 2016

‘Raised issue of Mumbai 26/11 attacks probe and asked Pak to expedite trial process.’

New Delhi:

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj made a statement about her Pakistan visit in the Parliament on Monday amid sloganeering by Opposition parties.

Congress MPs protested in the house, shouting anti-government slogans, their chants drowned Swaraj’s statement on the recent developments in India-Pakistan relations.

Swaraj in her statement said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Pakistan in 2016.

“We raised the issue of Mumbai 26/11 attacks probe and asked Pakistan to expedite the trial process,’ Swaraj informed the Rajya Sabha.

In the statement, which was largely inaudible because of the opposition repeatedly calling for a stop to the proceedings in the house, Swaraj detailed the circumstances under which her visit was organised and what took place in Islamabad with the Pakistani leadership.

She said that it has always been the Indian Government's endeavour to maintain relations with the neighbouring countries, including Pakistan and that the continued estrangement of the two countries was a hurdle to realisation of peace and prosperity in region.

\"India, Pakistan to engage in a comprehensive dialogue on all issues including peace, security, Jammu and Kashmir,\" she said.

She further said that she hoped the decision to have a bilateral composite dialogue with Pakistan would yield the expected results by the leaderships and people of both the countries.

Opposition members rushed to the Well of the House soon after Sushma Swaraj finished her statement.

Speaker P J Kurien accused the MPs of ‘hijacking the house’ and taking the ‘house to ransom’ and urged them to go back to their seats. But adamant members continued to shout slogans in the Well.

With the MPs refusing to back down from their protests, P J Kurien adjourned the House.