Ready to discuss all outstanding issues in 'terror-free' atmosphere: India tells Pak

With Prime Minister's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz asserting that New Delhi was avoiding dialogue with Islamabad, India on Friday responded strongly saying that it has never shied away from any engagement with the hostile neighbour and is prepared to discuss any issue in an atmosphere free from terror and violence.

"As far as the comments of Sartaj Aziz are concerned, I would say that India has never ever shied away from any engagement with Pakistan and is prepared to discuss all outstanding issues with Pakistan bilaterally, in an atmosphere free from terror and violence," Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Vikas Swarup told the media here.

Asserting that it was India which has repeatedly taken initiatives to engage with Pakistan, Swarup added that it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who first invited his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif for his swearing-in ceremony in 2014.

"Thereafter, it was again the External Affairs Minister, who travelled to Pakistan in December 2015 and held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Heart of Asia conference which led to the decision to start a comprehensive bilateral dialogue with Pakistan," he said.

Adding that it was Prime Minister Modi who yet again took the decision to travel to Lahore on a very short notice on December 25 last year, Swarup stated that Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar was prepared to go to Pakistan in the first half of January this year to hold initial discussions on the modalities of the comprehensive bilateral dialogue, but the Pathankot incident intervened.

"After that incident of Pathankot, it was a natural and legitimate acceptation of both the governments and the people of India, that there should be concrete action from Pakistan which has not denied of the involvement of its nationals in the attack," Swarup added.

Following Prime Minister Modi's statement where he placed the onus of stalled talks on Pakistan, Sartaj Aziz claimed that New Delhi was avoiding dialogue with Islamabad to avoid negotiations on crucial issues such as Kashmir.

Quoting Radio Pakistan, the Dawn reported Aziz stressed that it was India and not Pakistan who was backing away from dialogues.

He said that Pakistan had plans for extensive talks with India on issues such as Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek, economic cooperation, trade, visas and the detainment of fishermen, amongst others.

Aziz also alleged that the Indian Army had rejected an earlier agreement regarding Siachen between the two governments, as they had "stakes" in the glacier.

In a recent interview to Times Now, Prime Minister Modi had said that due to his diplomatic efforts, India was not reluctant to engage with Pakistan.

"Our approach has created difficulties for Pakistan, and they find it hard to respond on the matter in the international community," he said.

The Prime Minister also claimed there are "different types of forces operating in Pakistan", and asked in a rhetoric fashion if one has to draw a line or set conditions for dialogue, will it be "with the elected government or other actors?"

The dialogue between the hostile neighbours hit a major roadblock after the attack on the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot in January.