Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry shakes hands with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Tuesday. PHOTO: MEA INDIA
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry said on Wednesday India has realised dialogue is the only way forward to discuss all outstanding issues which hampered the ties between the two neighbouring countries.
“There is a realisation on part of India that dialogue is the only way forward to discuss all outstanding issues,” he told reporters a day after his visit to New Delhi where he attended a secretary-level meeting.
However, Chaudhry said there was no major breakthrough in his meeting with Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar.
“The two sides raised their respective concerns in cordial and forthright manner,” he added.
The meeting between the foreign secretary and Jaishankar on the sidelines of the Heart of Asia conference in New Delhi on Tuesday was the first formal contact between the two neighbours since the peace process was derailed as a result of a brazen militant attack on an airbase in Indian Punjab’s bordering Pathankot area.
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Chaudhry said India had not given any date regarding the resumption of comprehensive bilateral dialogue but “Pakistan will welcome whenever India is ready to start the dialogue process”.
Terming Kashmir a core issue, he said the matter of the occupied land should be resolved in line with wishes of Kashmiris, and the resolution of United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
The foreign secretary said there was an agreement between both sides that people-to-people contact should remain intact irrespective of the situation, adding a consensus was reached to keep working on humanitarian issues.
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Condemns Kabul attack
Speaking about the Afghan peace process, Aizaz said Pakistan message was clear to the militants inside Afghanistan: stop violence.
“We strongly condemn the Kabul attack and will not accept such violent tactics. We urge all militant groups to shun violence and return to negotiating table,” the foreign secretary said.
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