A welcome step: Mufti on proposed EAM and Pak FM meet

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday said that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's gesture of proposing a meeting between India and Pakistan's Foreign Ministers was "a welcome step."

Taking to her official Twitter account, Mufti said, "Accepting peace overtures of Pakistan's PM Imran Khan by agreeing to a meeting between India and Pakistan's Foreign Ministers is a welcome step. Even though it has come towards the fag end of NDA's tenure, better late than never."

In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Khan proposed a meeting between India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the 73rd United Nations General Assembly.

"Building on mutual desire for peace between our two countries, I wish to propose a meeting between Foreign Minister, Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi and External Affairs Minister, Ms. Sushma Swaraj, before the informal meeting of the SAARC Foreign Ministers at the sidelines of the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York. They can explore the way forward, especially the holding of the SAARC Council of Ministers followed by the SAARC Summit in Islamabad. The summit will offer an opportunity for you to visit Pakistan and for us to restart the stalled dialogue process. I look forward to working with you for the benefit of the people of both our countries," Khan's letter read.

The Ministry of External Affairs, however, clarified that no agenda has been set for the proposed meeting.