Islamabad:
Despite the general consensus that the India-Pakistan talks did not go as well as hoped for, India's External Affairs Minister SM Krishna said, "To an extent, I am satisfied with the talks." Krishna offered his assessment as he left Islamabad to return to New Delhi.
Krishna also refused to comment on the Pillai controversy, saying simply that the entire issue "is all on record." At the joint press-conference held by Krishna and Qureshi after their six -hour-long talks on Thursday, Qureshi slammed India's Home Secretary, GK Pillai, describing Pillai's remarks on the ISI as "uncalled for." (
Read: Pillai's remarks uncalled for, says Pakistan)
In Delhi on the eve of the Indo-Pak talks, Pillai, in an interview to the newspaper The Indian Express, said, "ISI had a much more significant role to play in Mumbai attacks... ISI was literally controlling and coordinating the attacks from the beginning till the end." Pillai said the ISI angle was revealed by David Coleman Headley, the Lashkar-e-Toiba operative who was interrogated in America recently by Indian officials.
Qureshi's public remarks against Pillai surprised Indian journalists for two reasons: Qureshi said that India's Foreign Affairs Minister SM Krishna agreed with his view (Krishna did not object when Qureshi said this at the press briefing); also, Qureshi made his statement on Pillai in response to a question on Hafiz Saeed. (
Watch: Regret Krishna did not defend Pillai, says BJP)
India has reacted angrily to what it sees as Qureshi's attempts to equate its Home Secretary with Saeed, who is seen regularly in public in Pakistan delivering anti-India hate speeches. The BJP has said it regrets that Krishna did not defend Pillai; the Congress has said to compare Pillai to Saeed is "nothing short of ridiculous."
The press briefing after the Indo-Pak talks saw angry words exchanged over issues like the infiltration by Pakistani militants into Kashmir, and Pakistan's allegations of India's involvement in supporting the unrest in Balochistan. (
Read: Indo-Pak talks - After 6-hour-long meeting, differences in public)
Both Foreign Ministers have said that another round of talks will be held.