Despite India rebuff, Pakistan wants dialogue on 'grim situation' in Kashmir

Islamabad: Pakistan plans to invite India for a dialogue on Kashmir issue, Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said on Friday, days after India insisted that it would discuss only PoK with Pakistan.

"Our Foreign Secretary would formally be writing to his counterpart in this regard," Aziz 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.

He said the conference spent considerable time on the "grim situation" in Kashmir.

The conference emphasised that Pakistan should continue to extend full diplomatic, political and moral support to the Kashmiris movement for self-determination.

Read: Talks with Pakistan only on PoK, says Rajnath Singh

He said that the conference discussed a number of diplomatic initiatives being taken and it was decided that Pakistan should invite India for a dialogue on Kashmir issue.

"As for India, the Envoys Conference noted that India’s policy of not engaging in a comprehensive dialogue with Pakistan was not conducive for peace in South Asia," said Aziz.

His comments came two days after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh addressed Parliament on the Kashmir issue and said that India was willing to discuss only Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) with Pakistan, and that the question of discussing Jammu and Kashmir with Islamabad just does not arise.

"I can safely say that no power on earth can snatch Kashmir from us. If there will be any talks with Pakistan, it will be on Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and not Kashmir,” Rajnath Singh had said.