India to express concern to Pakistan on minorities' plight

New Delhi, May 17 (IANS) India will convey its concern to Pakistan over the plight of its Hindu minorities when External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna visits the neighbouring country soon, parliament was told Thursday

Krishna, in reply to a short duration discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the normalisation of relations with Pakistan and issues relating to the human rights violations of minorities there, said he will personally convey the concerns of the house and the people of India on the attacks, kidnappings and conversion of Hindu minorities in the neighbouring country.

"We will certainly do," the minister told the house when Bharatiya Janata Party member Ravi Shankar Prasad wanted to know if India will convey its concern on the plight of minorities in Pakistan, as it did in the case of Tamil minorities in Sri Lanka.

"I am going to Pakistan.. it is on the cards. I certainly will convey the sentiments of this house. I will personally convey it to my counterpart," Krishna assured the members.

Describing the issue of minorities' plight in Pakistan as a "sensitive and delicate" issue, particularly since it is about a neighbouring nation with whom India wishes cordial bilateral relations, the minister said the government "does share the concern and anguish" of the people, particularly the Indian citizens from the northern states of India.