India said on Friday it had never shied away from engagement with Pakistan.
“India is prepared to discuss all outstanding issues with Pakistan bilaterally, in an atmosphere which is free from terror and violence,” spokesperson for India’s ministry of external affairs, Vikas Swarup said.
Pakistani PM’s Adviser Sartaj Aziz on Thursday had said India was finding excuses to avoid resumption of a structured dialogue with Pakistan on all issues, including the longstanding Kashmir dispute.
“This old narrative is not a very good excuse to avoid meaningful engagement,” said Aziz while responding to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks that “it was hard to decide who to speak to about peace in Islamabad implying that the civil and military leadership was not on the same page vis-à-vis relationship with New Delhi.”
Swarup claimed his country’s foreign secretary was prepared in January this year to hold initial discussion on modalities of the comprehensive bilateral dialogue with his Pakistani counterpart.
However, he added, the attack Pathankot airbase put the dialogue process on the backburner. “Now we await complete investigation on the Pakistani side.”
Regarding Mumbai terror attack case, Swarup said Indian government was committed to providing cooperation to Pakistan.
“We remain committed to providing cooperation to Pak in terms of expediting Mumbai terror case trial & bring all perpetrators to justice,” he said.
The MEA spokesperson denied reports that Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Aizaz Syed had written a letter to his Indian counterpart.
“Pakistan’s foreign affairs spokesperson has claimed that their foreign secretary has written to our foreign secretary. No fresh letter has been received in this regard.
In response to the question on the arrest of Indian spy Kulbhushan Yadav from Balochistan, Swarup said India had at times sought consular access to Yadav which was not granted.
