India reiterates Pak has no locus standi on Kashmir, ready to talk on POK, terrorism

The Indian government on Thursday reiterated its stand that Pakistan has no locus standi with respect to Jammu and Kashmir which is an integral part of India.

Briefing media in New Delhi, official spokesperson to the Ministry of External Affairs Vikas Swarup said should Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar visit Islamabad, the talks would focus on cross border terrorism and Pakistan's illegal occupation of Kashmir.

"Foreign Secretary conveyed that he accepts the invitation to visit Islamabad, but made it clear that discussions should focus on more pressing aspects of the Jammu and Kashmir situation that include cessation of cross -border terrorism by Pakistan aimed at the state, incitement to violence from Pakistan to Jammu and Kashmir, detaining and prosecuting internationally recognised Pakistan terrorist leaders who have been active recently in exhorting and supporting such violence in that state," he said.

"Foreign Secretary also said that he looks forward to discussing with his counterpart, at earliest possible, the vacation of Pakistan's illegal occupation of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir," he added.

Swarup further said that should an Indian delegation undertake a visit to Islamabad in the near future, the intention would also be to bring to justice all those guilty in Pakistan for the Mumbai terrorist attack of 2008 and the Pathankot airbase attack, earlier this year.

Foreign Secretary Jaishankar yesterday conveyed his willingness to visit Islamabad for holding talks on terrorism rather than on Kashmir.

On August 15, Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry called in Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Gautam Bambawale and handed over a letter addressed to his Indian counterpart, inviting him to visit Pakistan for talks on Jammu and Kashmir, which he termed "the main bone of contention between India and Pakistan".

The invitation came days after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said in a statement that Pakistan is planning to invite India for a dialogue on the Kashmir issue.