In constantly calling on India to come for talks, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif seems to be forgetting two things: India has never said NO to talking; but any agenda with Pakistan must include Terrorism, especially of the cross-border variety. In the absence of the latter, there will be no talks for it will turn out to be meaningless. Sharif must understand that the pain foisted on India for the last several decades is something that cannot be brushed under the carpet, or worse still pretend the problem did not exist.

Sharif also seems to be forgetting one other thing: India desires a peaceful South Asia where neighbors can spend their time better by addressing urgent economic and social issues instead of looking for thugs and goons from across borders strapped with explosives and sub machine guns to kill innocents. The Prime Minister of Pakistan is fully aware of the toll extremists are taking within his own country; pointing the accusing finger at others is hardly helping matters.

The Pakistani leader’s refrain that war is not an option is also quite stale in that India fully understands the horrific destruction that awaits should a conflict situation come about. Precisely for this reason that New Delhi is exercising so much patience even in the face of innocent people facing the brunt of the violence from terrorists across the borders, armed and abetted by the official machinery.

And Mr. Sharif need not remind India that the two South Asian nations are nuclear armed or which one of the two has more nuclear weapons. In fact, responsible nuclear powers do not discuss possession and use which is something that needs to be understood by politicians and brass hats in Islamabad. The major worry of the international community of Pakistan is the country tottering on the brink of economic and political instability and collapse with a nightmare scenario of nuclear stockpiles falling into the hands of jihadists and terrorists.

Terrorism is hurting Pakistan. Even the few countries that are supportive of the country are quite aware of the ground realities. Things have come to such a pass that Pakistan and Afghanistan are now routinely trading barbs on which country is harboring terrorists. But the bottom line cannot be missed by either one of them—that presence of terrorists can only bring about more woes to their populations who are already reeling under severe hardships.

Prime Minister Sharif has to prove beyond reasonable doubt that his country has moved away from being the epi-center of terror and that the Pakistani military and the Inter Services Intelligence are no longer involved in smuggling terrorists and terror outfits across the border into India. Extending the hand of friendship during the day and pushing trained and well armed terrorists across the Line of Control at night, or any other time, will not work.