The spokesperson said Pakistan had proposed to India a “simultaneous adherence to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)” following the 1998 nuclear tests by both countries. It also accused the press in India of overplaying the China threat from time to time.
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The proposal, which has been made earlier too, is aimed at questioning India’s commitment to non-proliferation objectives that includes a voluntary moratorium on nuclear testing.
According to the daily, China’s stand on India’s NSG (Nuclear Suppliers Group) membership bid and India’s rejection of visa extension requests for Chinese media persons can not represent the big picture of Sino-Indian ties.
“The two nations may have discussed the issue during Wang’s visit, and it is possible for both sides to clarify their own ideas, stances and policies over the matter”. It said that the Indian government was treating its relations with Beijing “rationally” but “the country’s media and public opinion are busy stirring up negative sentiments”.
Last month, the two countries began joint patrolling of the PoK border, which China considers its border with Pakistan.
India rejected Pakistan’s proposal to hold Foreign Secretary-level talks on Kashmir and made it clear that terrorism was “central” to its relations with Islamabad, whose different view and attitude has made it hard for bilateral ties to grow.
“It is precisely because of the region’s worsening investment environment that PoK’s economy is still heavily reliant on agriculture”.
It added that rather than preventing foreign investors from entering the region as a solution to concerns over CPEC, “India should focus on its negations with Pakistan to settle the Kashmir dispute”.
Hopefully India can also improve infrastructure in the regions bordering Pakistan to promote regional economic integration.
“The CPEC is not a zero-sum game where Pakistan gains and India loses”.
The Foreign Secretary, who was briefing the media on India’s relationship with neighbours as well as with other countries, said ties with China presented a “mixed picture”.
“New Delhi may need to adopt an open attitude toward CPEC so the project can speed up development in the region and benefit the local population”.
Any way in which India can put aside politics and join in the task of economic development would be welcome, the article said.
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Pakistan had on Monday invited India for talks on Kashmir, saying it is the “international obligation” of both the countries to resolve the issue. In this regard, New Delhi may need to take the long view for its national interests, ” the GT article said.
