Pakistan has nukes, India can't play the bully:Pakistan NSA Sartaj Aziz
Pakistan NSA Sartaj Aziz. (PTI photo)
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NEW DELHI: As the dust settles over the last-minute cancellation of NSA talks, Pakistan NSA Sartaj Aziz on Monday said no substantive dialogue can take place between India and Pakistan even on the issue of terrorism until New Delhi agrees to discuss Kashmir with Islamabad.
"India needs to be sensitive to our priorities also. That I should not use the 'K' word during the meeting was unrealistic," Aziz told an Indian TV channel.
Aziz blamed India for calling off the talks on flimsy grounds saying that as a result, the trust levels between the two countries had gone down. He admitted that Pakistan had insisted on inclusion of J&K in the Ufa statement and that India did not agree to it. Aziz suggested that it might have been a "trap" which Pakistan walked into.
READ ALSO: Ajit Doval had planned to confront Pakistan on shoddy 26/11 probe during NSA talks
NSA talks nixed, all eyes on next India-Pakistan engagement
Earlier, in another interview to Dawn, Aziz said Pakistan, a nuclear power, knew how to defend itself.
Aziz said since taking over the government last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi considers India as a regional power, forgetting that Pakistan is "nuclear power".
"Modi's India acts as if they is a regional superpower, but we are also a nuclear-armed country and we know how to defend ourselves," Aziz was quoted as saying by the Dawn.
He said India wants talks on normalization on its own terms by having discussion only on matters relating to trade and connectivity.
READ ALSO: Pakistan calls off NSA-level talks, says conditions set by India unacceptable
He said if Kashmir is not an issue then "why has India stationed 700,000 troops in occupied Kashmir".
Aziz said the entire international community believes that Kashmir is a problem between the two countries which should be resolved.
"India should realize after the current episode that their tactics are not working," Aziz said and asked New Delhi to hold a referendum in Kashmir to let people decide their fate.
"India needs to be sensitive to our priorities also. That I should not use the 'K' word during the meeting was unrealistic," Aziz told an Indian TV channel.
Aziz blamed India for calling off the talks on flimsy grounds saying that as a result, the trust levels between the two countries had gone down. He admitted that Pakistan had insisted on inclusion of J&K in the Ufa statement and that India did not agree to it. Aziz suggested that it might have been a "trap" which Pakistan walked into.
READ ALSO: Ajit Doval had planned to confront Pakistan on shoddy 26/11 probe during NSA talks
NSA talks nixed, all eyes on next India-Pakistan engagement
Earlier, in another interview to Dawn, Aziz said Pakistan, a nuclear power, knew how to defend itself.
Aziz said since taking over the government last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi considers India as a regional power, forgetting that Pakistan is "nuclear power".
"Modi's India acts as if they is a regional superpower, but we are also a nuclear-armed country and we know how to defend ourselves," Aziz was quoted as saying by the Dawn.
He said India wants talks on normalization on its own terms by having discussion only on matters relating to trade and connectivity.
READ ALSO: Pakistan calls off NSA-level talks, says conditions set by India unacceptable
He said if Kashmir is not an issue then "why has India stationed 700,000 troops in occupied Kashmir".
Aziz said the entire international community believes that Kashmir is a problem between the two countries which should be resolved.
"India should realize after the current episode that their tactics are not working," Aziz said and asked New Delhi to hold a referendum in Kashmir to let people decide their fate.
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Recent Messages (144)
Have they not been talking about Kashmir for last 60 plus years??
They have been talking about Kashmir at UN; to US; to China and God knows even any stray dog on the street given an opportunity.
As anything changed?
They have tried plan after plan to attack India with militants; with soldiers dressed in civilian clothes and each time getting defeated by valiant Indian Army.
Aziz says they have nukes; well so does ... Read More