Ties should not be kept hostage to Kashmir issue: Pak envoy

Pakistan would not like to see its relations with India being "kept hostage" to the Kashmir issue, its envoy Abdul Basit said here today while hoping for early resumption of the stalled dialogue process and pitching for building of ties.
"If you recall, there are 10 segments within the framework of the composite dialogue and Jammu and Kashmir is one of them. We would not like our relationship to be kept hostage to one single issue," he said in a media interaction at the Hyderabad Press Club.
"We would like to talk and sincere efforts should be made to resolve it," the High Commissioner said.

Hoping that the stalled dialogue process will resume soon, he said, "Minister for External Affairs Hon'ble Sushma Swaraj had said there are no full stops in diplomacy. I concur with her that in diplomacy...You do not completely shut it down. So, let's hope there are possibilities that will emerge. So, I am hopeful."
India had called off the scheduled foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan in August, objecting to its envoy meeting Kashmiri separatists on the eve of the dialogue.
When referred to India's stance that Pakistan should talk to it directly rather than involving separatist groups in the process, he said Jammu and Kashmir is a problem between the countries and both countries should try to establish peace.

"Jammu and Kashmir is a problem between our two countries. It is part of the composite dialogue process as well. So, we hope that whenever we resume the dialogue process, we will be able to build on the past accomplishments and move forward. Because, peace is in our mutual interest," he said.

Replying to a query, Basit said efforts should be made to see that relations between the two countries grow.
"The agenda of our Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif saab is economic development. And the agenda of Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi saab is also development. The agendas of both governments meet. There is convergence. So, there is no reason why we cannot face the challenges together. The need is that we complement each other," he said.

Replying to a query on continued ceasefire violations by Pakistan, the envoy said his country holds a view different than India but stressed that both countries should abide by the previous agreements.