Let us talk PoK, terror: S Jaishankar to Pakistan foreign secretary

NEW DELHI: India has hardened its stand on Pakistan’s proposal for a Kashmir-centric dialogue as foreign secretary S Jaishankar, in his letter to his Pakistani counterpart, not only made terror as the basis of the proposed dialogue but also called for a discussion on “the earliest possible vacation of Pakistan’s illegal occupation of the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir”.

In his letter dated August 16, which was handed over to Pakistan the next day, the foreign secretary said he was looking forward to discussing with his counterpart vacation of Pakistan’s illegal occupation of the Indian state of J&K, reflecting the PM’s recent stand on PoK. This is first time that India wants to bring PoK on the agenda as part of any discussion on Kashmir with Pakistan.

While accepting the invite to visit Islamabad, Jaishankar wrote discussions should focus first on the more pressing aspects of the J&K situation that include — (a) Cessation of crossborder terrorism by Pakistan aimed at J&K; (b) Ending incitement to violence and terrorism from Pak; (c) Detaining and prosecuting internationally recognised Pak terrorist leaders who have been publicly active recently in exhorting and supporting such violence in that state; (d) Closing down of Pak terrorist camps where terrorists such as Bahadur Ali continue to be trained; and (e) Denying safe haven to terrorists in Pakistan.