Suspension of Indo-Pak talks 'setback for regional peace': Experts

Foreign policy experts have criticised the suspension of NSA-level talks between India and Pakistan, saying it was a "setback for regional peace".

According to the Express Tribune, National Defence University's Professor Dr. Pervaiz Iqbal Cheema and South Asian affairs expert Dr. Rasheed Ahmad Khan said that delaying the NSA-level talks was not good for regional peace.

Cheema said that India's preconditions for the talks were "irrational" and that fixing such conditions was not a good idea.

Cheema also said that there was nothing wrong with Pakistan meeting the Hurriyat leaders before the talks between the two countries.

Peshawar University political science department head Dr. A.Z. Hilaly said that the deadlock reflected India's "traditionally rigid attitude".

Hilaly asserted that it was not easy for India to play with the issue globally as Pakistan is now a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and it has good ties with Russia.

A statement issued by the Pakistan Foreign Office said on Saturday night that the proposed talks will not serve any purpose if conducted on the basis of what it called "preconditions" laid down by India.