India welcomes dialogue with Pak on 'contemporary & relevant' issues: MEA

Responding to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz's statement that Pakistan is planning to invite India for a dialogue on the Kashmir issue, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday said India would welcome a dialogue on contemporary and relevant issues in India-Pakistan relations.

Elaborating on contemporary and relevant issues, MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted, "At this time they include a stoppage of Pakistani support for cross-border terrorism, infiltration of terrorists like Bahadur Ali, incitement to violence and terrorism across the border, parading of internationally recognised terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Syed Salahuddin, and sincere follow up on the Mumbai attack trial and the Pathankot attack investigation in Pakistan."

Briefing reporters on envoys conference held in Islamabad from August 1-3 to deliberate on major foreign policy challenges of Pakistan and to make recommendations, Aziz said, "As for India, the Envoys Conference noted that India's policy of not engaging in a comprehensive dialogue with Pakistan was not conducive for peace in South Asia. In this regard, Pakistan should invite India for a dialogue on Jammu and Kashmir. Our Foreign Secretary would formally be writing to his counterpart in this regard."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said, "When we talk about Jammu and Kashmir, then we should talk about four regions - Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)."

Earlier, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh told Parliament that India was willing to discuss with Pakistan only Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and there was no question of discussing Jammu and Kashmir with Islamabad.