Sharif says ready for unconditional talks with India
Prime minister Nawaz Sharif has indicated that Pakistan is ready for a dialogue with India without pre-conditions for sustainable peace, according to Pakistani TV channel Geo News.
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has indicated his country was willing to have negotiations with India without preconditions for sustainable peace in the region, Pakistani television channel Geo News reported.
There was no official confirmation from Pakistan’s foreign office, and the external affairs ministry refused to comment on the report.
The Pakistan television channel reported that Sharif had indicated to his British counterpart David Cameron about talks with India without pre-conditions.
This, if true, could mean a climbdown by Islamabad on the stalled dialogue between the hostile neighbours.
While Pakistan maintains that Kashmir is the core issue in any talks between the two countries, Indian insists it is terrorism.
India had called off scheduled talks between the national security advisers of the two countries in August after New Delhi took umbrage over the neighbour’s engagement with separatist Hurriyat Conference a day ahead of the dialogue.
Sharif met Cameron on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Malta on Friday. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj is representing India at the meet.
When HT sought the MEA’s reaction, ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said he had “no comments” to make.
A senior Indian diplomat said, “In India-Pakistan ties nothing happens unless it has happened.”