New Delhi/Islamabad: In what is turning out to be a huge embarrassment for the NDA government after its recent outreach to Pakistan at Ufa in Russia, that led to both sides resolving to resume the stalled dialogue process, Islamabad on Monday hauled New Delhi over the coals, saying no dialogue process will take place with India if the Kashmir issue is not included in it, apart from alleging Indian involvement in insurgency in Balochistan and also raising the issue of the Samjhauta Express blasts.
In another shocker aimed at putting the onus on India on the Mumbai trial case, Sartaj Aziz, Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif’s adviser on foreign affairs and also the country’s national security adviser, said Pakistan needed more evidence and information to conclude the trial.
This comes a day after Islamabad indicated that the voice samples of LeT operations commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, the mastermind behind the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, is not likely to be given to India. Also on Monday evening, Pakistan’s high commissioner to India Abdul Basit invited the Hurriyat leaders for an “Id Milan” at the high commission on July 21. Pakistan rubbed it in further, saying “there was nothing unusual” about the invitation, and that it will continue to extend “full moral, political and diplomatic support to the people of J&K”.
Pakistan’s belligerence will no doubt have stunned India, after the two PM met in Ufa, and decided that the two countries would “discuss all outstanding issues”, “cooperate” to eliminate terrorism from South Asia and find ways “to expedite the trial of the Mumbai attack case.”
Islamabad has swiftly undone Ufa deal
- Joint statement issued after the Sharif-Modi talks at Ufa said India and Pak will find ways and means to expedite the Mumbai trial.
- Pakistan now says it is not possible to give the voice sample of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
- Kashmir was not on the table, both nations agreed to end terrorism “in all its forms”. New Delhi and Islamabad were to resume talks.
- Pakistan now wants Kashmir on talks agenda, also India’s role in Balochistan. Islamabad seeks Samjhauta case details.
