ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has called for early resumption of foreign secretary level talks with India.
At a weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Muhammad Nafees Zakria said the date of the foreign secretary level talks should now be finalzied as early as possible following the Indian policy statement not to link talks with the progress on Pathankot incident.
He said both the sides are in contact on the issue, but no date has yet been fixed. In reply to a question about the arrest of Kashmiri students at Jawaharlal Nehru University, the Spokesperson said the Kashmiri people have never accepted the unfair trial of Afzal Guru.
He said Pakistan has repeatedly voiced concerns and condemned the incidents in which the Kashmiris of held valley were subjected to atrocities by the Indian troops. He pointed out that Pakistan has adequately and appropriately raised the Kashmir dispute at all the international forums.
When asked about Afghan reconciliation process, the spokesperson said efforts are on to bring the Taliban back to the negotiating table. He said the next meeting of quadrilateral group on Afghanistan will be held in Kabul on the 23rd of this month to review the efforts made in this regard.
The spokesperson said Pakistan has adopted a principled stand on Syrian crisis as it desires amicable solution of the issue. To another question, he said Pakistan supports efforts towards countering terrorism including the 34-member Saudi led coalition.
Asked about US State Department concerns on the security of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenals, the spokesperson reminded that Washington has repeatedly in the past expressed complete satisfaction over the security of our nuclear arsenals. He once again categorically denied presence of Daesh in Pakistan.
