Foreign Secretary Jaishankar yesterday conveyed his willingness to visit Islamabad for holding talks on terrorism rather than on Kashmir.
Advertisement
FO Spokesman Nafees Zakaria said: “AJK is an area open to everyone and is frequented by foreign tourists and members of the diplomatic community in Pakistan, including representatives of the United Nations, where they have observed recent elections and met cross section of people”.
Jaishankar has, however, agreed to discuss aspects related to cross-border terrorism, sources said.
India had moved the United Nations after armed raiders backed by Pakistani establishment invaded the state of Jammu and Kashmir right after independence and a part of the state remained under control of Pakistan since then.
Pakistan to present strong stance at UN Gen Assembly on India’s state terrorism in J&K.
“The Indian government fully supports the ongoing insurgency in Balochistan”.
Given the spike in tensions between the two countries at the moment, Mansingh seemed unsure that the dialogue would actually get underway.
Kashmir facing major violence after Burhan Wani’s death, at least 65 dead so far.
Later talking to the media here, Jaishankar said India has made great efforts to reach out to Pakistan but it clearly faces a unique challenge in Pakistan’s response.
The olive branch comes after 40 days of violent protests in Indian-ruled Kashmir that were sparked by the killing by security forces of a field commander of Pakistan-based Islamic militant group Hizbul Mujahideen who enjoyed wide support.
“You all know what happened last time and what is happening”, a source had said, referring to Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to Islamabad earlier this month, which was also for a SAARC Ministerial meeting.
In his speech that day, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke of Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province after Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain talked about India-administered Kashmir.
He also called upon the UN Security Council to intervene immediately in order to halt the war-mongering Indian prime minister from dragging the region to devastation as well as to uphold sanity.
Advertisement
Hasanul Haque Inu, Bangladesh’s minister of information, who is visiting India, told The Hindu that in 1971 Bengalis were “targeted” by Pakistan’s military in East Pakistan which broke away from the mainland to become Bangladesh. “So, it is impossible for Sharif to offer any better terms”, he said.
