Pakistan's Sartaj Aziz puts Kashmir as pre-condition for talks with India

Pakistan Prime Minister’s Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Tuesday said that Pakistan will not enter into any dialogue with India that excludes Kashmir. He asserted that Islamabad wants to settle all contentious issues through “result-oriented” talks.

“Indian belligerent posturing and their desire to conduct dialogue on their own terms ie without Kashmir, will never be acceptable,” said Aziz briefing a 20-member delegation of ‘Kashmir Journalist Forum’ from PoK at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He said UN chief Antonio Guterres has expressed his concern over tension between India and Pakistan, called for a dialogue and offered to play role to help resolve Kashmir issue.

Aziz said India’s refusal to accept the role of the UN or good offices of the other leaders for reducing tension between India and Pakistan by resolving the Kashmir issue reflects “Indian desperation to hide its crimes against humanity” in the valley.

“Pakistan wants to settle all contentious issues, particularly the Kashmir dispute with India through a sustained and result-oriented dialogue,” he said.

He asked the UN, OIC and Human Rights Organisations to step up efforts to stop the “bloodshed of Kashmiris” and ensure early implementation of UNSC Resolutions.

Aziz said that protest in Kashmir has now entered a “critical phase” and the “Indian propaganda of down-playing” the Kashmir issue is also being defeated.

“If there is nothing wrong then why there are over 700,000 fully armed Indian forces stationed? Why the entire media has been blocked?, he said.

He said despite “the gravity of the situation on ground and persistent international pressure” on India to resume dialogue with Pakistan with particular focus on Kashmir issue, Indian government has been trying to “divert global attention” from the situation in the Valley by “heating up” Line of Control and Working Boundary.

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