Kashmir can't be excluded from Indo-Pak talks: Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Accusing India of being "selective" in its approach, Pakistan said the dialogue cannot move forward till its concerns were also understood by New Delhi.

"If we focus more only on those issues which India gives importance to and ignore those considered important by Pakistan, then I don't think the talks can move forward," Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told reporters here.

However, he said he would not call his yesterday's talks with External Affairs Minister S M Krishna a "deadlock".

"There are difficulties and we need to find a way to handle them," Qureshi said, adding "we are ready to engage, we are ready to negotiate any time, anywhere and we are not in a hurry. We will wait till they are ready".

He said Pakistan wanted a roadmap for the future as an outcome of the talks but the Indian side felt they did not have the mandate to make such a commitment.

"India was narrowing the dialogue and we said you cannot be selective," Qureshi said.

"We understand India's concerns and want to address them. But Pakistan also has its concerns and core issues which should be understood by India," he said.

Taking a dig at Krishna, Qureshi said the "Indian Foreign Minister received foreign policy directions from New Delhi repeatedly during our meeting".

On his part, the Pakistan Foreign Minister said he did not step out of the talks to "attend any phone calls".

"Pakistan is ready for talks but dialogue should be substantive, meaningful and result-oriented. Pakistan's people and Kashmiris cannot be delinked from the situation in Jammu and Kashmir," Qureshi said.

"There will not be any hitch from Pakistan side. I am ready to negotiate on any issue," Qureshi added.

Seeking to blame India for the "last-minute hitch" in talks, Quershi said New Delhi appeared to be unwilling to commit to a roadmap for future engagement.

He said it would not make sense to discuss aspects like cultural and trade relations while ignoring "core" issues like Jammu and Kashmir, peace and security and Siachen.

"It is the nature of India-Pakistan talks that whenever there is progress, there is always a last minute hitch. There was no hitch from Pakistan's side," he said.

Qureshi contended that India was "narrowing the dialogue" and Pakistan had made it clear that "you cannot be selective in discussions".

The issues between India and Pakistan were already identified and part of the eight segments of the composite dialogue that had continued for four years, he said.

"If they want to confine those issues, it becomes difficult for Pakistan," he said.