New Delhi: Pakistan continued its provocation on Monday, with its foreign secretary calling in the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad and handing over a letter formally inviting Indian foreign secretary S. Jaishankar for talks on the Kashmir issue.
India had virtually dismissed a suggestion to this effect from the Pakistani PM’s adviser on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz two days ago, saying the focus should be on terrorism. Foreign office spokesman Nafees Zakaria said that Indian HC Gautam Bambawale was called to hand over a letter of invitation.
Pakistan says talks obligatory
“The foreign secretary called in the Indian High Commissioner on Monday afternoon and handed over a letter addressed to his Indian counterpart, inviting him to visit Pakistan for talks on Jammu and Kashmir dispute that has been the main bone of contention between India and Pakistan. The letter highlights the international obligation of both the countries, India and Pakistan, to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions,” the statement by the Pakistan foreign ministry said.
Lashing out at India in a fresh diatribe on Monday, Mr Aziz said, India, though a large country, “does not automatically become a great country” and went on to accuse New Delhi of unleashing brute force in Jammu and Kashmir, adding that the Kashmir issue cannot be resolved through bullets.
In response to an earlier statement by Mr Aziz on August 12, that Pakistan would invite India for a dialogue on J&K, the MEA official spokesperson in New Delhi had said on Saturday, “India would welcome a dialogue on contemporary and relevant issues in India-Pakistan relations.”
