Pakistan on Thursday rejected the impression that foreign secretary level talks with India were delayed due to the Pathankot incident.
Pakistan on Thursday rejected the impression that foreign secretary level talks with India were delayed due to the Pathankot incident.
Foreign office spokesman Nafees Zakria said Pakistan and India were in touch and at any stage did not say that talks would not be held. He said dates would be finalised once the modalities are finalised after consultations of both sides. About prospects of meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, the spokesman said no such proposal was on the table so far.
On the suspension of Samjhota Express and Dosti Bus by India following the recent Haryana riots, he said India had requested Pakistan for halting the passenger services due to security situation. Mr Zakria said the two High Commi-ssions were in contact to facilitate the stranded passengers of their respective countries.
He said India despite the repeated requests by Pakistan had not shared the investigation report of 2007’s Samjhota Express tragedy where bombings in train had caused 68 casualties of Pakistanis. “Pakistan has asked India to take action to the statement of the incident’s mastermind Swami Asse-manad about the involvement of Colonel Shrikant Purohit in Samjhota Exp-ress tragedy,” he added.
The spokesman said the defence build-up pursued by India will disturb strategic stability in the region. At his weekly press briefing, Mr Zakria also voiced concerns over exceptional treatment being meted out to New Delhi by Nuclear Supplier Group. He said Pakistan wanted peace in the region and was therefore against any arms race.
To a question, he said Kashmiris movement for their right to self-determination was indigenous which enjoyed popular support. He said it could not be linked with terrorism. Mr Zakria said the launch of final phase of Zarb-e-Azb operation in the North Waziristan Agency was a clear manifestation of Pakistan s resolve to root out the menace of terrorism.
As regards the Afghan peace process, he said all the Afghan groups including Taliban have been invited to direct talks with the Afghan government.
