ISLAMABAD, Nov 6: Sending out a strong message to India, Pakistan on Monday declared it was now time for the two countries to move forward on crucial issues, especially the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
“In the context of CBMs we have made progress and we strongly believe now is the time to move towards the resolution of outstanding issues and disputes, particularly the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir,” Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam told a briefing.
She said that foreign secretary-level talks to be held in New Delhi next week would review progress achieved in the composite dialogue and would be followed by a meeting between the two foreign ministers.
The spokesperson said Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri would travel to India on a private visit later this month.
“There is nothing official about the foreign minister’s visit,” she said but did not rule out the possibility of an informal meeting between the foreign minister and his Indian counterpart.
Referring to reports that the World Bank’s neutral expert on Baglihar dispute was about to give a verdict in favour of India, she said those claims were speculative.
Answering a question about former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussain’s death sentence, the spokesperson said: “Legal proceedings are continuing. In fact, the appeal proceedings have started today. Our major focus and concern remains peace, stability and territorial integrity of Iraq.”
About Afghanistan, the spokesperson said Pakistan was doing whatever it could to improve the situation but underscored that challenges in that country were compounded by poppy cultivation, gun-running, role of warlords and lack of progress in reconstruction.
For Pakistan, she maintained, the major concern is the presence of three million Afghan refugees and asked the international community to make efforts for their early repatriation.
The spokesperson said Pakistan had made several suggestions to ensure that its territory was not used for violence in Afghanistan but pointed out that President Hamid Karzai was opposed to fencing the borders between the two countries and favoured further liberalising the movement.
On holding of joint jirgas by Pakistan and Afghanistan, she said the foreign minister might visit Kabul next month to discuss the issue with his counterpart.
Ms Aslam was non-committal when asked if Pakistan would be signing agreements for six civilian nuclear plants with China during the Chinese president’s visit to Islamabad this month. “I have no information about that but cooperation in the civilian nuclear technology between Pakistan and China has been longstanding,” she said.