Gilani says India did not want to hold talks on Kashmir

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani today said India did not want to hold talks with Pakistan on the Kashmir issue even though the composite dialogue, which covered the dispute, was the only way forward.

"In fact, they (India) do not want to talk about Kashmir," he told reporters on the sidelines of an official function.

He was replying to a question on India's proposal for talks at the Foreign Secretaries-level.

Following a meeting between Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Shahid Malik and Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao in New Delhi, officials of the two sides were in touch to work out dates and modalities for talks, Gilani said.

Gilani made it clear that the stalled composite dialogue, which covers eight subjects including the Kashmir dispute, is the "only way forward" for the two countries.

India put the composite dialogue on hold in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008.

It had linked the resumption of the peace process to Pakistan taking action against the perpetrators of the attacks that killed nearly 180 people.