No place for 'third party' in Indo-Pak dialogue: Congress

The Congress party on Monday said that there is no place for a 'third party' in the dialogue between India and Pakistan, dismissing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's wishes to his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif on their national day as a mere 'courtesy'.

"These are normal courtesies between heads of governments to greet each other on their national day. The Prime Minister has done the right thing. With regard to talks with Pakistan, it is very clear that it has to be between the governments. There cannot be any private party or third party involved in the dialogue between India and Pakistan. But the dialogue has to be coherent, it has to be meaningful, it has to be constructive, therefore the policy has to be consistent," Congress leader Anand Sharma told ANI.

"We have no opposition to the government engaging with Pakistan because the only way we can ensure an environment conducive to growth and development in the sub-continent is through dialogue," he added.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi wrote to Prime Minister Sharif to convey his greetings on the occasion of Pakistan Day.

Pakistan Day commemorates the Lahore Resolution of 1940 and the adoption of the first constitution of the country during its transition into an Islamic Republic on March 23, 1956.