On Wednesday India rejected Pakistan’s proposal to hold Foreign Secretary-level talks on Kashmir. Instead, India asserted that it would like to discuss aspects related to cross-border terrorism which are central to the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
Responding to Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry’s invitation, Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar expressed his willingness to travel to Islamabad but maintained that Pakistan has no locus standi in addressing any aspect of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir as it was an internal matter of India.
However, India did say that the talks could focus on how to end to cross-border terrorism and infiltration which is responsible for the unrest in the Valley.
India clearly told Pakistan that the only issue to be discussed between the two countries is ‘Terrorism’.
India’s response was handed over to Pakistan by the Indian High Commissioner to Islamabad Gautam Bambawale.
“Since aspects related to cross-border terrorism are central to the current situation in J&K, we have proposed that discussions between the Foreign Secretaries be focused on them…We have also conveyed that Government of India rejects in their entirety the self-serving allegations regarding the situation in J&K, which is an integral part of India where Pakistan has no locus standi,” sources said while revealing India’s response.
On Monday, Pakistan had invited India for talks on Kashmir, saying it is the “international obligation” of both the countries to resolve the issue.
Pakistan’s invitation comes at a time India and Pakistan are engaged in a war of words over the the unrest in Kashmir.
