ISLAMABAD, Aug 22 (DNA): Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid Saturday said that Pakistan was ready for talks with India including core issue of Kashmir.
However, if India wanted to avoid talks on different pretexts or raising non issues then all the responsibility would rest on the neighbouring country, he said while reacting to the news conference of the Indian External Affairs Minister.The minister said that it was naive to put pre-conditions by a host country for dialogues. “Nowhere in the world there is such precedent that a host puts restrictions on the guest to do this or not to do this before holding parleys,” he added.
He said that Pakistan stuck to its stance which it had adopted the very first day but India kept changing its position, even after each hour.
He said there should be on terrorism but Kashmir should be on the agenda as it was the major issue between the two countries.
He said that Advisor to the Prime Minister Sartaj Aziz was ready to go to India as “we want dialogue because it is the only way to resolve disputes”.
Pervaiz Rashid said that the dialogue was being held between India and Pakistan while Sartaj Aziz was to meet Kashmiri leaders at a reception being hosted by Pakistan High Commission.
He said at Ufa, the Prime Ministers of Pakistan and India had agreed to discuss all outstanding issues.
India had the right to discuss matters relating to terrorism while Pakistan too had full right to present evidences of India’s involvement in terrorism on its soil.
He stressed the need of discussing both terrorism and core issue of Kashmir in talks. He said that it was also necessary to resolve and discuss those issues which were root causes of terrorism in the region.
The minister stressed that if India had right to raise issues pertaining to its own interests then Pakistan also had the right to discuss matters having importance for it.
He cited the example of Afghanistan where efforts were being made to resolve the issues through talks.
To another query, he said as per the Ufa statement, the two countries agreed to discuss all outstanding issues which meant Siachen, Sir Creek, water disputes and obviously Kashmir.
“Kashmir is a core issue and it should be discussed in talks,” he said.
There was no change in our position on the talks, the date for talks was finalized by India. “We are still ready for talks but India has changed its position and put conditions.”
He said Pakistan respected prestige and honour of other countries and expected the same from others.
Regarding NA 122, the minister said that Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz respected the court verdict. The PML-N workers always remained peaceful and expected from the PTI chief to advise his party workers to remain peaceful and show patience, he adde. He said the PML-N will would exercise its legal rights.=DNA
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