New Delhi likely to reject Islamabad’s Kashmir invitation

NEW DELHI: India is likely to reject Pakistan’s proposal for a dialogue on Kashmir as the government is ‘not warm to the idea of discussing an internal matter with Islamabad’, official sources told ET. Though the external affairs ministry is examining the invitation for a dialogue on Kashmir alone forwarded by Pakistan foreign secretary Aizaz Chaudhry to his counterpart S Jaishankar, sources indicated the Modi government was unlikely to accept a dialogue on terms set by Islamabad.

India may insist on raising Pakistan’s internal issues too. PM Modi in his Independence Day speech highlighted plight of people in Balochistan, Gilgit, Baltistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Hours after Pakistan handed over the formal letter, Washington said that it supported all positive steps that India and Pakistan can take to forge closer ties but pointed out that it will not influence pace, scope and character of discussions on the issue. Washington also reiterated that it remained concerned over the clashes in Jammu and Kashmir and called for a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

“Our position, as you well know, on Kashmir has not changed. The pace, the scope, the character of any discussions in Kashmir is for the two sides to determine. We support any and all positive steps that India and Pakistan can take to forge closer relations. We’re aware of the clashes.

We remain concerned about the violence, and we encourage – all sides to make efforts to finding a peaceful resolution,” Elizabeth Trudeau Director, Press Office, told a media briefing when asked about Modi’s comments on PoK.

Trudeau, however, refused to comment on Prime Minister Modi’s recent remarks on Pakistan.