Foreign Secy-level talks must resume, Pak tells India

Lahore, April 19

Pakistan has called on India to resume Foreign Secretary-level talks to resolve all outstanding issues, saying with peace the menace of poverty, illiteracy and injustice in the region can be eradicated.

“Although the Indian Foreign Secretary visited Pakistan on March 3 this year, it was ‘a goodwill gesture’. The formal talks have yet to resume," Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said.

Aziz made the remarks at a seminar on “Muslim-Sikh Dosti Di Tarjman — Baisakhi (Baisakhi represents Muslim-Sikh friendship)” at the Lahore Fort last evening. “Pakistan believes in peace in the region and desires to initiate dialogue on all issues with India. If there is peace, we all can eradicate poverty, illiteracy and injustice in the region,” he said.

He urged India to resume the process of dialogue as agreed by the two premiers — Nawaz Sharif and Narendra Modi — during their meeting last year. Aziz wondered at the “inordinate delay” by India in resuming foreign secretary-level talks.

“Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after the 2013 general election had announced an economic and social development roadmap for the country through developing good relations with the neighbours, including India. Under this policy, Sharif went to India and took part in the oath-taking ceremony of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Aziz said. — PTI