Pak must stop funding terrorism: Defence Expert

Expressing his delight over the progress in talks between India and Pakistan, Major General (Retd.) P.K. Sehgal today said Islamabad must stop funding terrorism and sending terrorists into our territory.

Major General (Retd.) Sehgal said war is no longer an issue in the modern time.

"As far as India is concerned, we are absolutely and totally open to discussing all issues including Kashmir, essentially that part of Kashmir which is illegally occupied by Pakistan and illegally ceded by Pakistan to China," Major General (Retd.) Sehgal told ANI.

"People of both those areas have risen up against Pakistan and against the Chinese and are keen to join India. The UN resolution that Pakistan continues to talk about have become irrelevant over a period of time as the initial withdrawal of the Pakistani forces was never gone into by Pakistan and hence citing those are no longer acceptable," he added.

Major General (Retd.) Sehgal further said Pakistan must dismantle all the training camps that they have got in Pakistan occupied Kashmir and Gilgit and other areas.

"We would also want them to stop funding terrorism and sending terrorists into our territory, we would also like to know as to what action has been taken against various terrorist organizations like the LeT and JuD? What action has been taken against Haafeez Saeed? What action has been taken against Lakhvi? What has been the progress as far as the Pathankot case is concerned and what is the latest on Masood Azhar?" said Major General (Retd.) Sehgal.

"India should not have no objection whatsoever to talking to Pakistan about Kashmir. In fact, it is now in our interest to talk about Kashmir, including the area held by Pakistan," he added.

Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar and his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry today held bilateral talks in New Delhi focusing on a range of issues.

The two Foreign Secretaries are also believed to have deliberated on ways to take forward the Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue (CBD) between both sides.

India has been pressing for action against terrorists responsible for the audacious attack on the premier IAF base to move ahead in the talks.

During the meeting, the Pakistan Foreign Secretary emphasized that Kashmir remains the core issue that requires a just solution, in accordance with UNSC resolutions and wishes of the Kashmiri people.

The Pakistan Foreign Secretary is in New Delhi on a day-long visit to attend the senior officials meeting of the Heart of Asia - Istanbul Process.

It was the first such formal meeting between the two top diplomats after the talks were deferred in January following the strike by Pakistani terrorists at the Pathankot Airbase.