Former Indian external affairs minister Salman Khurshid on Saturday urged the prime ministers of India and Pakistan to resume talks for resolving all outstanding issues between the South Asian neighbours.
Addressing a press conference following a track-II session held under the aegis of Regional Peace Institute (RPI), Khurshid said there is a need to put an end to the hate speech coming from both sides, adding that harmony and peace should be promoted.
He called for a thorough investigation by Indian government into the violation of ceasefire on Pakistan-India border, stating that if the Indian side had violated the ceasefire, India should probe the matter thoroughly.
Khurshid said that both the countries needed to hold talks at DGMO level to ensure normalization of bilateral ties.
He said that Pakistan and India both are being victimized by terrorists and both should shoulder responsibility to curb terrorism.
Khurshid said that the Indian Army had never opposed normalistaion of relations between the two countries, but added that contacts between the two countries’ armed forces had decreased over the years and there was a need to enhance them. Khurshid expressed the hope that secretary-level dialogue between India and Pakistan would resume soon as was hinted during the meeting held between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi.
“All issues should be resolved amicably,” he said adding that Sharif’s recent visit to India was taken positively in India and it would help resolve conflicts between the neighbours.
Former Indian petroleum minister Mani Shankar stressed the need for opening an Indian consulate in Karachi and a Pakistani consulate in Mumbai, stating that there was a need for resumption of trade ties to benefit the poor of both countries.
