ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s High Commissioner Abdul Basit on Monday said that Islamabad was ready for a dialogue with New Delhi on the sidelines of the “Heart of Asia” conference in Amritsar next week.
Giving an interview to Indian TV channel Aaj Tak, the high commissioner said, “If there was an offer for talks from the host nation, it would be accepted by Pakistan.”
Stressing the need for resuming the dialogue process between the neighbouring countries, Basit said, “We can delay talks for months or even years. But ultimately, a solution to the problems between India and Pakistan can only come through dialogue, and therefore, both nations must sit and discuss all the issues that confront them.”
While commenting on tensions at the India-Pakistan border, Basit said, “Escalation along the Line of Control is not in Pakistan’s as well as India’s interest.”
The Pakistan Army was heavily deployed along the country’s western borders as part of Operation Zarb-e-Azb, so it was wrong to say that the escalation was being fuelled by Pakistan, he maintained. He said that Pakistan wants the 2003 ceasefire understanding turned into a formal agreement between the two countries.
Commenting on the appointment of the new army chief and democratic system in Pakistan, Basit said that the country’s democracy had matured. “The voice of the people and democracy is becoming stronger. There’s no question of a military coup in the future.”
