Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, during a news conference in the Pakistan Embassy said that even after India’s reluctance to engage in peace talks, Islamabad would not close doors on its efforts to promote peace in the region, IANS reported.
“India is reluctant, we will not close our doors,” the Minister said.
“Hiding away from issues will not make them disappear. It will not improve the situation in Kashmir,” Pakistan news agency Dawn quoted the minister as saying.
The Minister said he was unable to understand India’s refusal to participate in peace talks with Pakistan.
“Engagement, no-engagement. Coming, not coming. We desired talks as we believe the sensible way is to meet and talk. They agreed, and then disagreed,” he stated.
He said that India’s response to Pakistan’s peace offer was harsh and non-diplomatic.
“We did not use a non-diplomatic language in our rejoinder. Our response was matured and measured. They adopted a new approach, and moved back,” he said.
Qureshi said that External Affairs Minister of India Sushma Swaraj’s “language and tone was unbecoming of a foreign minister”, Dawn reported.
When inquired if tensions between India and Pakistan could lead to a war between the two countries, the Minister said: “Who is talking of war? Not us. We want peace, stability, employment and improving lives. You identify where is the reluctance.”
Qureshi said that Pakistan’s desire for peace should not be mistaken for a sign of weakness.
“We want peace. It does not mean, we cannot defend ourselves against aggression. We can but we do not have an aggressive mindset,” he said.
After India called off talks with Pakistan citing killing of a BSF personnel, killing of cops in Kashmir and ‘glorifying’ Burhan Wani by issuing postage stamps, Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan called the move ‘arrogant and disappointing.’
In a statement issued by the Pakistan Foreign Office said that the reasons cited by the Indian side for the decision to cancel the foreign ministers’ meeting, within 24 hours of its public confirmation, areentirely unconvincing.
Moreover India had also said that Pakistan has issued stamps glorifying slain Hizb commander Burhan Wani.
PDP President and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Friday reacting to the killings of policemen said that Government of India’s ‘muscular policy’ is clearly not working in the valley.
She also added that dialogue now seems to be a ‘distant dream’.
