Aug 21 , 2015
News
Ball for talks in India's hand: Rashid
ISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Senator Pervaiz Rashid said on Friday India was making excuses for avoiding talks with Pakistan.
“India has made excuses before and refused talks. They are making excuses again,” Rashid said.
The information minister added: “The ball for talks is in India’s hand and it remains to be seen if India continues to play or runs with the ball. They sit with the ball in their pocket.”
Rashid asked what time of democracy was there in India if the guest list and host were at their behest.
“People of Kashmir say you (India) have violated their human rights and now if you don’t even let them attend a dinner it puts weight behind what they are saying.”
The information stressed that it was time the international community started understanding the complaints of the Kashmiri people.
Advisor to the PM on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz is expected to be in New Delhi for talks with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval on August 23-24. The fate of these talks has been thrown in limbo after India ‘advised’ Pakistan that it would be inappropriate for Sartaj Aziz to meet Hurriyat leaders who had been invited to the Pakistan high Commission in New Delhi. India has threatened that talks would be cancelled if Aziz met with the Hurriyat leaders.
In response to the ‘advice’ of the Indian Government that Sartaj Aziz not meet Hurriyat leaders during his visit to India, Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary conveyed to the Indian High Commissioner that this was not acceptable for Pakistan.
A statement of the Foreign Ministry said Kashmir is a disputed territory as per the UN Security Council resolutions which remain unimplemented. Pakistani leadership has always interacted with the Kashmir/Hurriyat leadership, during their visits to India. Pakistan sees no reason to depart from this established past practice. The Hurriyat leaders are true representatives of the Kashmiri people of the Indian occupied Kashmir. Pakistan regards them as genuine stakeholders in the efforts to find a lasting solution of the Kashmir Dispute.
Courtesy www.thenews.com.pk