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Pakistan offers India talks on condition of end to curfew, Kashmiri leaders’ release

Pakistan offers India talks on condition of end to curfew, Kashmiri leaders’ release
August 31, 2019
ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Pakistan has offered India to resume talks on condition of an end to curfew, restoration of human rights and the release of Kashmiri leaders. In an interview with BBC Urdu, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that Pakistan has no objection to bilateral dialogues. “However, the mediation or assistance of any third party will also be welcomed,” he added. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that Pakistan had never refused the talks. “But I see no environment of dialogues from the Indian side when the curfew has been imposed, people are facing the life-and-death situation, women are being gang-raped and people have been arrested,” he declared. He said that there three parties in the dispute – Pakistan, India and Kashmir. “If India is serious, it should release the Kashmiri leaders. I should be allowed to meet and consult the Kashmiri leaders. I have to observe the sentiments of these Kashmiri leaders. We cannot sit the table of talks by trampling the sentiments of Kashmiris and their leaders,” he maintained. Shah Mahmood Qureshi made it clear that Pakistan has no option of the war. “Pakistan has never adopted the aggressive policy and peace has always been its priority,” he said. He said that the government had asked India several times to resolve the dispute through talks since it assumed the power a year ago because two nuclear neighbours cannot afford the war. The foreign minister said that Pakistan forces and the nation are ready if the war was imposed on them like February 26. “We befittingly responded to the Indian aggression on February 27, downed its two jets and arrested their pilot,” he declared. He said that the nation is ready and successful conduct of the Ghaznvi missile had been conducted. About the diplomatic success, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that it is a great success that the issue put on the back burner for decades has come to the limelight. “The world is discussing it and protests are being held against it in Europe. The United Nations Security Council has discussed it after 54 years,” he said.