India avoiding talks with Pakistan due to Kashmir: Sartaj Aziz

Islamabad, June 29

India was “shying away” from peace talks with Pakistan to avoid discussions on Kashmir and other issues, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said today.

He said Pakistan was not shying away from talks.

"It is actually India which is shying away as it knows that it has to discuss Kashmir and other issues on the dialogue table," Aziz said, commenting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks during a television interview.

"Prime Minister Modi's logic is beyond perception," he said.

"We have a format of comprehensive and composite dialogue with India that includes issues like people-to-people contact, visa and fishermen issue, trade and economic cooperation, Kashmir, Siachen and Sir Creek," Aziz was quoted as saying by Radio Pakistan.

He said that the Indian army had stakes in Siachen and when last time both the governments reached an agreement, the Indian army rejected it.

In the interview on Monday, Modi had said due to his diplomatic efforts, the world had seen India was not reluctant to engage with Pakistan.

"Our approach has created difficulties for Pakistan, and they find it hard to respond on the matter in the international community," said Modi.

The relations between the two sides deteriorated after Pathankot attack earlier this year and all efforts have failed to revive the peace talks. — PTI