ISLAMABAD: Rising tension on the borders has thrown the fate of crucial talks between the national security advisers of Pakistan and India in the doldrums with New Delhi reluctant to fix a date for the meeting.
During a recent meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in the Russian city of Ufa, the two leaders had agreed to a meeting of their security advisers in New Delhi to discuss issues related to terrorism.
However, renewed tensions along the LoC in Kashmir and the working boundary in Sialkot, as well as the intrusion of an Indian ‘spy’ drone into Pakistani territory, may lead to the postponement of the crucial talks, a senior government official believes.
Four people have been killed by the firing of Indian border security forces on civilian populations on the Pakistani side in recent days. Five more have been left injured by the unprovoked attacks.
Yesterday, a team of United Nations Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) visited the villages most affected by Indian shelling. They visited Saleh Pur, Chaprar and Malane in Chaprar Sector in Sialkot and met wounded civilians and witnessed Indian atrocities on the civil population.
According to the understanding reached in Ufa, Prime Minister’s Adviser on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz would travel to New Delhi for talks with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval, who would then make a reciprocal visit to Islamabad.
When contacted Foreign Office spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah said: “As of now I have no dates for the meeting.” Another Foreign Office official said Islamabad would raise the issue of Indian involvement in the internal affairs of the country when the advisers meet.
He added, Islamabad had ‘compelling evidence’ to prove that India’s prime secret agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) was whipping up terrorism in Pakistan.
At a news conference last week, Sartaj Aziz confirmed that, “Pakistan has been deeply concerned about hostile statements from Indian ministers and also about Indian interference in Pakistan.
Internews
