“We have not sought a meeting and we have not received any request,” said foreign ministry spokesperson Tasnim Aslam at a weekly news briefing on Thursday. Both Nawaz and Modi are currently in New York to address the annual session of the General Assembly.
The lack of interaction between the two leaders suggests that there is no immediate chance of revival of stalled peace process between the two neighbors.
Hopes were high regarding the fresh start for the normalisation of ties when Nawaz, in an unprecedented move, travelled to New Delhi at the invitation of Modi to attend his swearing-in ceremony.
In reply to a question, Aslam said both countries were in contact through their respective High Commissions for the resumption of talks. “We did not cancel the talks, so it is up to India now to indicate how it wants to proceed,” she added.
Regarding floods in Indian Kashmir, Aslam said Pakistan was concerned about the plight of ‘Kashmiri brethren.’
“We understand that Government of Azad Kashmir has also appealed that the LoC points should be opened so that they can undertake relief activities,” she maintained.
The spokesperson also said the prime minister has no scheduled meeting with US President Barrack Obama.
Backing action against IS
Talking about the recent air strikes by the US against the Islamic State group in Syria, Aslam said Pakistan stood with the international community in opposing terrorism.
When asked to comment on the presence of a Khorasan group in North Waziristan, she replied: “There are many amorphous terrorist groups of this kind which keep floating from country to country or they are ideological affiliates.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 26th, 2014.
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