Pak looking for ways to wriggle out of NSA talks: Sushma

Asserting that an effective dialogue between India and Pakistan is possible only in a terror free environment, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday gave a response to Pakistan's take on the joint statement issued last month in Ufa, Russia.

Addressing a press conference in the national capital, she said that Islamabad is looking for ways to wriggle out of the talks as Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had to face immense criticism in his nation post the meeting with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

Swaraj said both the Prime Ministers decided in Ufa that productive dialogue can take place in an atmosphere free from terror and violence.

"It was decided to hold one talk on terror and the other on the border issue," she added.

Swaraj further said that three meetings were decided in Ufa, out of which one was the NSA-level talks on terror.

"A meeting in New Delhi between the two NSAs to discuss all issues connected to terrorism. Early meetings of DG BSF and Pakistan Rangers followed by that of DGMOs," Swaraj said while reading out the Ufa statement.

"Out of the three meetings, which were decided in Ufa, one was of NSA-level on terrors; another one was between DG BSF and Pak rangers on peace on border and third between the DGMOs on ceasefire violation," she added.