We want to resolve all issues with India: Pak FS Aizaz Chaudhry

Pakistan wants to resolve all outstanding issues with India, including Kashmir, through talks, foreign secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said on Tuesday ahead of his arrival in New Delhi for talks with his Indian counterpart.

Pakistan wants to resolve all outstanding issues with India, including Kashmir, through talks, foreign secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said on Tuesday ahead of his arrival in New Delhi for talks with his Indian counterpart.

Pakistan’s foreign secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhary arrives at the airport in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, April 26, 2016.(Vipin Kumar/ HT Photo)

He was quoted by Radio Pakistan as saying that “it is very much possible that both countries talk to each other and try to settle the issues on the sidelines of the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process meeting in New Delhi”.

Chaudhry will hold talks with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar before a meeting of senior officials of the Heart of Asia grouping on Tuesday afternoon. This will be the first high-level contact between the two countries since the January 2 terror attack on Pathankot airbase, which India blamed on Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

Read: Pak foreign secy to visit Delhi, bilateral talks set to be revived

“The two foreign secretaries will discuss bilateral issues. The Pathankot investigation will come up for discussion and they will also talk about the proposed dialogue process and how to move ahead,” said an Indian government source.

India will also raise the issue of a visit by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to probe the Pathankot attack.

“We have almost completed our probe in India in connection with the Pathankot attack. We are now waiting for the green signal from the government to go to Pakistan to complete investigation there as well. Our preparation for the visit is complete,” NIA chief Sharad Kumar said on Monday.

Read: Pakistan says talks with India suspended, hints won’t allow NIA visit

The Heart of Asia is a grouping of 14 nations working for peace and reconstruction in war-ravaged Afghanistan.

Chaudhry said Pakistan is sincere in its efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan as peace in that country is vital for peace in the region. Pakistan wants to take the Afghan peace and reconciliation process forward and resolve issues through negotiations, he added.

He called on all parties and Afghan groups to come forward and work jointly for peace.