No Israel-type action against Pak: Pranab

NOT THE RIGHT MOVE: Pranab Mukherjee describes Pakistan NSA's sacking as unfortunate.

ibnlive.com is on mobile now. Read news, watch videos
be a Citizen Journalist. Log on to m.ibnlive.com NOW!

Top Headlines

Top Videos

Most Popular

• I took calculated risks for higher growth: Pranab  

• Udayan's View: Budget 2009, a game of patience 

• A study in comparison: Education budget up Rs 7K cr 

• Face The Budget: Political response to Budget 09-10 

• The verdict: CNN-IBN panelists rate Pranab's Budget  

• Reform hopes dashed, market watchers feel let down  

• I-T exemption limit raised | FBT rolled back | Taxes and you 

• Pranab skips two paras of Budget speech, apologises 

• Bengal benefits, Mamata and Pranab budget for their state 

• Income tax limits raised; farmers, exporters get sops 

• Watch: Dalal Street reacts to the Budget 

• Budget: Pranab's chance to create his own legacy 

• FM has done a fairly good job: Narayana Murthy 

• Budget to focus on social spend, growth 

• Education reform will be for all Indians: Sibal 

• The Budget That Isn't: Cyrus gears up for Budget 

• EVMs are tamper proof, says Election Commission 

• Watch: Railway exams disrupted in Mysore, Banglaore 

• Watch: Maneka writes to PM over threat to Varun's life 

• One-upmanship: Sonia, Pawar in foodgrain politics 

• Life saving drugs, LCDs cheaper; Set-top-box costlier 

• Buy that big car: SUVs, petrol trucks to cost less 

• Defence budget unchanged; Army gets lion's share 

• Minimum Rs 30 lakh needed to be called wealthy 

• TAX BREAKS, WELFARE SCHEMES IN COMMON MAN'S BUDGET 

• Common man gets a treat, over 15 schemes 

• Health budget up by Rs 4,000 cr, 6 new AIIMS in cities 

• Bengal benefits, Mamata and Pranab budget for their state 

• Full text: Union Budget 2009 

• Software industry gets tax benefits for one more yr 

Photogallery

Find us on Facebook | Join IBNLive community

Stay ahead with G-Talk Buddy | Click now!

New Delhi: India has described the Mahmud Ali Durrani's sacking as Pakistan's national security adviser (NSA) as 'unfortunate'.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee says Durrani's sacking is an unfortunate incident but it makes no difference as India will have to deal with the government that is in power in Pakistan. Pranab said so in an exclusive interview to CNN-IBN Editor-in-Chief Rajdeep Sardesai.

On sacking of Pakistan NSA

"This is really an unfortunate situation. But we have no option. We only have an option with the government of the day. Whether the government for the day is with real power or not, it is not for me to look into that. It is not for me to judge. It is for the people of Pakistan to judge. It is for the authorities in Pakistan to judge," said Pranab.

India's options

"When I say that all options are open... all options are open. There is no need of picking up of option A, option B, option C, option D. There is no need of that. I am not responding to that. What I am responding to (is that) options are open. We have not reached the end of the road. Pakistan, what they have asked for we have given them. We expect them to act on it. If they don't act on it what follow up step we will take at what time it will take place (only) future course will decide," he said.

Israel type action

"I don't agree to that because this is totally wrong. And the situation is not at all comparable. I have not gone and occupied Pakistan's land which Israel has done. So how can the situation be compared?" the External Affairs Minister said.

On Rahul Gandhi as prime minister?

"Oh my goodness. Look it was in the context of a question that why the Indian political system does not transfer leadership to the younger generation. So I gave a series of examples. Therefore the AICC General Secretary. Who knows he may follow the foot steps of his father one day? When Rajiv Gandhi became prime minister at the age of early 40s... I cannot say who will be the potential, who will not be the potential. Potential is in a number of people. We do believe that India has a number of persons who have the prime ministerial material, who have the potentiality. But it depends on which political party or parties are going to have the majority in our parliamentary system after the elections. How the elected MPs are going to choose their leaders. These are the unavoidable steps one will have to take," he said.

Watch the entire interview with the External Affairs Minister on the Weekend Edition with Rajdeep Sardesai on Saturday night at 2000 hrs IST.