AGENCY
New Delhi: Virtually turning down Pakistan’s proposal that it would invite India for a dialogue on J&K, India on Saturday made it clear that it would talk on “contemporary and relevant” issues in Indo-Pak relations and at this time it included stoppage of Pak-supported cross-border terrorism.
“India would welcome a dialogue on contemporary and relevant issues in India-Pakistan relations. At this time they include a stoppage of Pakistani support for cross-border terrorism, infiltration of terrorists like Bahadur Ali.
“Incitement to violence and terrorism across the border, parading of internationally recognised terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Syed Salahuddin, and sincere follow up on the Mumbai attack trial and the Pathankot attack investigation in Pakistan,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.
He was replying to a question on a statement by Prime Minister’s Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz at a press briefing yesterday that Pakistan would invite India for a dialogue on Jammu & Kashmir for which the Pakistan Foreign Secretary would be writing to his Indian counterpart. “Our Foreign Secretary would formally be writing to his counterpart in this regard,” Aziz had said as he briefed the media about the Pakistan’s Envoys Conference held on August 1 -3 to deliberate on major foreign policy challenges of Pakistan and make recommendations.
At a separate event, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, “Unlike in the past we cannot agree that dialogue with sponsor and supporters of terrorism should carry on without being linked to action in that regard”, in an apparent reference to Pakistan. “Threat of terrorism dominates global concerns today. It is an issue which has confronted Indian diplomacy for many years because of its cross border manifestation.
“Unlike in the past we cannot agree that dialogue with sponsor and supporters of terrorism should carry on without being linked to action in that regard. At the international level we are also putting the spotlight on early conclusion of a comprehensive convention on international terrorism,” she said.
Need to liberate PoK: Jitendra
Kathua: Union Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh on Saturday pledged to launch a movement to liberate the people of PoK from Pakistan’s illegally occupation.
“One more battle for freedom is pending and it is that we have to get the people of PoK liberated from illegal occupation of Pakistan so that they are reunited with India,” he said .
He made the remarks while embarking on his “Tiranga Yatra” near the border town of Kathua in Jammu.
“From today, we have to launch a formal and consistent movement campaign for getting freedom to the people of Pakistan occupied Kashmir,” he reportedly said.
In a recent message, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called for taking out Tiranga yatras across the country from August 13 to felicitate freedom fighters and rededicate themselves to nation.
“I feel that Tiranga yatra in the real sense will culminate only when tricolour gets unfurled at Muzaffrabad, Kotli and other areas of Pakistan occupied Kashmir,” Singh was quoted as saying.
He said that PM Modi’s government will do everything to achieve it. He criticised Pakistan for committing worst human rights violations in PoK, Gilgit and Balochistan.
The world knows that Pakistan bombards its own people and even murder its own intellectuals to suppress their voice, he added.
