ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The prime minister’s advisor on national security and foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz has said that during recent talks with his Indian Counterpart Narendera Modi in Ufa, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif raised the issues of Indian involvement in insurgency in Balochistan and Samjhota express.
On July 10, Nawaz Sharif and Narendera Modi met in the Russian City of Ufa on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and exchanged views on bilateral relations and regional issues.
Later Sharif received a criticism from a couple of political parties including Pakistan Peoples’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for not raising Pakistan’s concerns over Indian involvement in Balochistan unrest and other provocative activities in talks with Modi. Though the Indian premier asked Sharif to expedite the Mumbai case trial.
In a news briefing in Islamabad on Monday, Sartaj Aziz told media that during the meeting with Modi, Nawaz Sharif said that more information is required to conclude the Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi trial, the alleged mastermind 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
The advisor told that Sharif also sought information from the Indian side on the progress made on the Samjhota express trial.
Sartaj Aziz further said that no dialogue process will take place with India unless Kashmir issue is not included in it. He said that Pakistan stays firms on its principled stance on the issue with dignity and honor and no compromise will be made on it.
The advisor said that the meeting with Prime Minister Narendera Modi in Ufa was aimed at engaging constructively in a structured dialogue on all issues of bilateral and regional interest including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
In addition, he said that both Pakistan and India have agreed to revive Track II dialogue to explore ways of resolving issues that are lingering for a long time and need to be resolved in order to give peace a chance.
