‘India, Pakistan should not foreclose any options on talks’

Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria ’s comments came days after Pakistan envoy Abdul Basit said the bilateral talks stood "suspended".

April 15, 2016 04:53 am | Updated December 04, 2021 11:03 pm IST - Islamabad

Dialogue is the best option between Pakistan and India and the two sides should not think in terms of “foreclosing any options,” a top Pakistani official said on Thursday.

“During Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi’s visit to Pakistan in December last, it was decided that the two Foreign Secretaries should meet soon. It is hoped that both sides would work out modalities for the Foreign Secretary-level talks,” Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria said when asked if the word “suspended” correctly defined the current state of the bilateral peace process.

“We need to look ahead and not think in terms of foreclosing any options. Both sides are in contact with each other. Once the modalities are worked out, Secretary-level talks would take place,” he said.

“Dialogue is the best option! Diplomacy is for interaction and engagement between countries,” he said.

Mr. Zakaria’s comments came days after Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit said the bilateral peace process stood “suspended.”

When asked if the position in Islamabad was similar to that of Pakistan’s High Commissioner, Mr. Zakaria said, “There is a difference between comments on day-to-day ground situation as compared to broader policy and future vision and prospects. At our level here in the Ministry, we do not give a day-to-day running commentary on official policy.”

He said Pakistan was committed to resolving all outstanding issues with India through a sustainable, uninterrupted and meaningful dialogue without any preconditions, in order to address each other’s concerns, and establish lasting peace.

On a question regarding the death of Indian prisoner Kirpal Singh in a Pakistani jail, Mr. Zakaria said he died due to heart attack and preparations were under way to send the body to India.

He said Singh was convicted by an anti-terrorism court for spying.

“It is not appropriate to see everything through the prism of suspicion and conspiracy. He was kept in intensive care at the hospital but he could not survive,” he said.

India had raised the issue of Singh’s mysterious death with Pakistan authorities and sought a probe into the matter.

On Pathankot investigation, Mr. Zakaria said the Joint Investigation Team, after visiting India, was “evaluating the information shared by the Indian side.”

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