AGENCIES / ISLAMABAD
Paksitan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Saturday said that Pakistan was ready to hold dialogue with India on all outstanding issues provided that New Delhi agreed to ease tensions in Indian-Kashmir.
Qureshi made the offer while talking to British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and stressed that Pakistan had always welcomed dialogue with India.
“Pakistan has never refused to negotiate, but India has never created the right atmosphere needed for dialogue,” said the foreign minister. He also added that Pakistan had no objection to bilateral talks.
“Pakistan has no objection to bilateral talks, and any third-party support or mediation will also be welcomed,” remarked Qureshi. The statement from Qureshi follows a similar comment made by PM Imran Khan in an opinion piece for The New York Times on Friday.
In a shift from official policy on bilateral talks with India so far, PM Imran had on Friday said that talks would India could go ahead only if New Delhi agreed to reverse the ‘illegal annexation’ of Kashmir.
FM Qureshi appeared to elaborate on the statement made by the premier, outlining that bilateral talks with India hinged on Delhi ending curfew in Kashmir, restoring human rights, and releasing detained Kashmiri leaders.
“In an environment where curfew is enforced, people are suffering from life and death, gang rapes are taking place, people are being held in captivity, I don’t see any negotiating environment,” said the minister.