The government here is not surprised by Pakistan’s position on talks between the two top security advisers, going by its action following the outcome in Ufa.
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In a statement, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said, “Pakistan remains willing to attend the (national security advisers’) meeting without any pre-conditions”.
India has objected to Aziz meeting with Kashmiri separatists.
The talks seem to be facing a roadblock after Pakistan on Friday rejected India’s “advice” of not holding talks with Jammu and Kashmir’s separatist leaders.
“Hurriyat has been in talks with Pakistan since long and Pakistan’s invitation over NSA talks is nothing new”, he added.
The upcoming Indo-Pak NSA-level talks appeared to be on the verge of being aborted with both sides locked in a confrontation over Kashmiri separatist leaders. What has happened, nothing new they keep on meeting with them.
On Thursday, several separatist leaders were briefly held in Srinagar, the main city in Indian-controlled Kashmir. When contacted the Foreign Office spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah refused to confirm or deny the cancellation of the dialogue, saying the official stance has been issued by the Foreign Office in the statement. “And to ensure that in future Pakistan does not step back from showing serious concern about Kashmir”. “K” word is very much on the agenda”, he said.
Swaraj said that despite an intense pressure nationally to call off the talks, India had not yet formally called off the talks.
“Setting a deadline for Pakistan to respond, Sushma said”, Pakistan has time till tonight to reply.
She further added that in the Ufa declaration, there was no reference to Kashmir and hence it will not be one of the topics discussed.
While India has sought to nuance its position by blaming only the Pakistan army for attempts to sabotage the NSA talks, Pakistani diplomats here said there was complete unanimity within the Pakistani establishment that it couldn’t give in to any “blackmail” by India, especially over an issue related to J&K.
“On my part, I am still prepared to go to New Delhi without any preconditions”, he said. “Till date the country doesn’t know on what India agreed”, he said.
NSA talks not composite dialogue.
– He was sharply critical of the Indian government for its insistence that he should not meet Kashmiri separatist leaders while in New Delhi and said this was akin to controlling the guest list for a reception being held for him at the Pakistan High Commission tomorrow.
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“The agenda decided at the talks which took place between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan Premier Nawaz Sharif in Ufa was acceptable to both the sides”, he told reporters here. Reacting to reports about fresh evidence of Dawood Ibrahim living in Karachi which the government will produce before Pakistan’s NSA, the NC patron said India had always known the fact.
