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No request received from India for Nawaz-Modi meeting in US: FO
*FO says it is up to India to proceed further on secretary-level talks *Pakistan shows concerns, offers help relief work in Indian-held Kashmir
INPISLAMABAD – Pakistan has said that it has not sought any meeting of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session nor a request received from the other side.
At her weekly briefing here on Thursday, Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would however hold a series of meetings with other heads of states and governments and the UN agencies in New York.
She said that Pakistan wants to resolve all the disputes with India including the core issue of Jammu Kashmir through negotiations for peace and development in the region. She clarified that the Indian side cancelled the scheduled foreign secretary-level talks on the pretext of Pakistan's High Commissioner's meeting with the Kashmiri leaders.
When said whether Pakistan-India are in contact for the secretary-level talks, the spokesperson said that the foreign offices of the two countries were in touch through their respective high commissions. “We did not cancel the talks and it is up to India how it wants to proceed further,” she said. She said that Pakistan on its part has not spared any effort to build up relations with the neighbouring country.
Tasnim said that Pakistan was concerned over the plight of flood-affected people in Indian-held Jammu Kashmir and has offered assistance to India in relief activities. To a question about allegations leveled by outgoing Afghan president Hamid Karzai against Pakistan, she said that Pakistan and Afghanistan face common challenges which can only be confronted through joint collaboration.
“We are looking forward to working closely with the new leadership of Afghanistan to resolve issues of terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil and cross-border attacks,” she said. About drone attacks on Pakistani territory, Tasnim said that Pakistan was raising this issue at different forums to further strengthen public opinion against the strikes.
She said a panel discussion of the United Nations Human Rights has just recently sent a loud and clear message that these strikes were illegal and against international law. The panel discussion also impressed upon the countries using the drones to stop the strikes. About Khorasan militant group, she said that she was not aware of the existence of this group in Pakistan.
She believed this group in Syria and Iraq was a new phenomenon which is preaching hate and hatred. “We stand with the international community in fighting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,” she said, adding that Pakistan military was resolutely taking action against terrorists in North Waziristan without any discrimination.
When asked about the visit of Chinese president to Pakistan, the spokesperson said that this visit has only been postponed. Both the countries were in contact to schedule the visit at the earliest, she said. However, no dates have yet been fixed, she confirmed.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk