Indo-Pak NSA-level talks to take place: Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

NEW DELHI: The NSA-level talks between India and Pakistan will take place as expected later this month, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today amid questions whether the meeting should be held in the wake of recent terror attacks emanating from across the border.

"I don't know what is going on in the mind of the Pakistan establishment. Certainly Government of India's position is very clear that NSA-level talks would continue," Sitharaman at a press conference at BJP headquarter here when asked if recent incidents would affect the talks.

The NSA-level talks are expected to take place here later this month as a follow up to the decisions taken at the Summit meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif in Ufa last month.

However, in the recent days, there have been two major terror attacks -- one in Punjab and another in Jammu and Kashmir -- both emanating from Pakistan, triggering questions as to whether India will go ahead with the talks.

Asked if Government of India was in support of the decision of Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to boycott the CPU meet in Islamabad, Sitharaman said it was the domain of the Speaker but the government agrees with it.

"Obviously, Government of India is on the same page," she said about the decision taken after Pakistan refused to invite Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker to the meet being held from September 30 to October 8.