KARACHI: High Commissioner to New Delhi Abdul Basit on Friday underlined the need “to break the impasse between Pakistan and India” but said Islamabad was not desperate for early resumption of dialogue.
During an interview with The Hindu, he said: “Pakistan is not begging for dialogue. If India is not ready, we can always wait.”
Mr Basit said a dialogue between the two neighbours “was inevitable. Whether it happens one year down the road or three years down the road”.
The interview took place just a few days before Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz is due to lead a delegation to the Heart of Asia conference, to be held in Amritsar.
Speaking about the possibility of talks between the two sides on the sidelines of the conference, the high commissioner said Islamabad “was open to any proposal for talks from the Indian side”. He added that the conference should focus on the situation in Afghanistan.
“Whether or not there are bilateral talks, our adviser is coming [to India] because Afghanistan is important for us; its stability and economy are important for us, so we will participate constructively,” Mr Basit said.
The spokesman for India’s external affairs ministry, Vikas Swarup, however, ruled out any talks with Pakistan on the sidelines of the upcoming conference.