Pak being 'adamant' on Kashmir won't improve ties with India: JD (U)

Janata Dal (United) leader K C Tyagi on Tuesday said he is not expecting much from the visit of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj as the bilateral relations between the two countries cannot improve with Pakistan adamant on raising the Kashmir issue.

"I don't think the relations will improve even after the bilateral talks with Pakistan as they are adamant on the issue of Kashmir. I am not against better ties between the two countries but I am afraid the relations are not going to improve if they continue to raise the Kashmir issue," Tyagi told ANI here.

"During the Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Modi use to say that talks and firing across the border do not take place at the same time. But we see that cricket match is taking place in Dubai, talks are taking place in Bangkok, and firing is taking place across border. It seems the country is being betrayed," he added.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will leave for a two-day visit to Pakistan on Tuesday, where she is expected to meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz in Islamabad this week.

Swaraj will visit the Pakistan capital to attend the ministerial segment on Afghanistan during the annual Heart of Asia conference on December 9.

Upon her return from Islamabad on December 10, Swaraj will be making a statement on the latest developments that have taken place in diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan.

Earlier, Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz had said the deadlock in Indo-Pak ties had eased to some extent and he is looking forward towards the bilateral talks with Sushma Swaraj which would focus on the resumption of composite dialogue process.

In a surprising move, India-Pakistan had NSA-level talks in Bangkok on Sunday on a wide range of issues including terrorism, Jammu and Kashmir, and border issues.