No talks till Pakistan shuns terror: MEA on Shehbaz Sharif's offer

New Delhi: Reacting to Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif’s conditional offer for talks, India said it always wanted normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan, but there should be an atmosphere free from terror and violence for such ties. In the first official comments on the matter, Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs, reiterated India’s long-held position. Indicating that there were considerable loose ends in Pakistan with regards to terrorism, the MEA welcomed the UN proscribing LeT terrorist Abdur Rehman Makki and said its endeavour would be to list the other four terrorists whose UN listing had been blocked by China. All four are based in Pakistan. In an interview with a Dubai-based news channel last week, Sharif said, “Pakistan has learnt its lesson after three wars with India and now wants to live in peace with India, provided we are able to resolve our genuine problems.”

Later, the Pakistan’s PMO added there could be no negotiations unless India revoked its 2019 actions on Kashmir. Sharif also requested the UAE to act as a mediator as it had once done to facilitate a ceasefire on the Line of Control. However, on Kashmir, India says all that is left to talk with Pakistan is the return of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.