Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry Friday said that the government and the military were willing to hold talks with India for regional peace and stability.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) stalwart, during an interview with British Broadcasting Corporation said that although Pakistan was ready to hold talks with India, it was yet to receive a reciprocal indication from the other side.
“Imran Khan has given many hints to New Delhi in this regard,” Chaudhry told the publication.
Pakistan is soon allowing Sikh pilgrims from across the border to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur via the Kartar Singh border without obtaining visas, the federal minister said. “A system has been formulated for the pilgrims entering Pakistan,” he said.
“As soon as he was elected prime minister, Imran invited Indian cricketers. In his first speech, the prime minister said that Pakistan would take two steps forward in response to one step from New Delhi,” he said. Chaudhry further added that the prime minister had also spoken with his Indian counterpart. “All of our institutions are on the same page. Our foreign policy is the country’s diplomatic stance and not that of Imran Khan,” he said. Chaudhary said that the military, as well as the government knew that a country could not function in isolation. “Both Imran Khan and General Qamar Javed Bajwa understand that a country cannot progress in isolation. Both leaders understand that “we will be left behind in the race of development if regional peace is not ensured”, he stated.
Published in Daily Times, September 8th 2018.
