Pak Foreign Office spokesperson says onus on India to resume peace process

Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam on Thursday said the onus is on India to take the initiative to revive the bilateral dialogue and resume the peace process between the two countries.

"We have repeatedly explained the reasons. Pakistan acted in good faith. The Prime Minister accepted the invitation extended by the Indian Prime Minister to attend his inauguration. The two Prime Ministers had a constructive meeting and they decided that the Foreign Secretaries would meet," Aslam said at a press briefing apparently referring to the meetings between Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit and separatist leaders from Kashmir, and the subsequent fallout of that event.

She maintained that it was Islamabad's view that India had cancelled the foreign secretary-level talks slated for August 25 'without any solid reason'.

"The dialogue was scheduled and dates were fixed. India cancelled the visit without any solid reason. We believe the onus is on India to take the initiative," Aslam said.

The Indian Government had in August cancelled the foreign secretary-level talks after Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit held talks with Kashmiri separatists ahead of the proposed meeting.

Later, at the two-day long 18th SAARC Summit in November, no talks were held between Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, although the two leaders did shake hands and spent some time at the Dhulikhel retreat along with six other SAARC leaders.

Sharif had later said that said that his country wanted a significant dialogue with India on all issues, including Kashmir. He also said that he would not let his country's dignity and image be destroyed by anyone.

The Prime Minister's statement came during an in-flight press briefing on his return from the SAARC Summit in Nepal, after India's Ministry of External Affairs said that the country was for peaceful and co-operative relations with Pakistan but the emphasis should be on meaningful dialogue.