Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday echoed the view of Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh who said that India should not expect a change in Pakistan’s mindset.

Singh, who is currently visiting Jammu-Kashmir, said “We cannot change Pakistan’s nature. It has to be done by them. They have to understand how to behave with a neighbour.”

Speaking at a media briefing at the BSF headquarters in Paloura, the Home Minister said, “India has done whatever initiatives could be taken. The PM, too, broke protocol and visited Pakistan to improve relations. Yet what do we do if they don’t understand. But I pray to God that there is change.”

Earlier today, MoS External Affairs VK Singh said that India should not expect any change in the Pakistani government’s mindset.

Pointing at Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s links to the powerful military brass of the country, Singh, a former chief of Indian Army, said that it is yet to be seen whether Khan manages to free himself from the control of the Army.

“Did you all expect a change? If a person is propped up by Army, (the) army still rules. Let’s wait and watch how things move; whether a person remains under army’s control or doesn’t,” he said responding to questions on ongoing infiltration from Pakistan despite the coming to power of a new government.

“I think our policy is very clear. Dialogue will happen provided the environment is made conducive for it,” Singh added while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the ‘Smart Border Management’ event organised by FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers for Commerce and Industry) in New Delhi.

In July this year, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan had expressed his desire to improve ties with India in his first speech to people of Pakistan after becoming the Prime Minister.

“If India is ready to resolve disputes, we are ready to take two steps, but they need to take that one step…. blame game will take us nowhere,” he said in a televised address in Islamabad while declaring victory in the general elections.

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“We want to improve our relations with India, if their leadership also wants it. This blame game that whatever goes wrong in Pakistan is because of India and vice versa brings us back to square one,” he said.