Ahead of no-confidence vote, Bajwa indicates Pak ready for talks with India
Apr 03, 2022
Islamabad [Pakistan], April 3 : Ahead of the deceive no-confidence motion against Imran Khan on Sunday, Pakistan Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Bajwa indicated that Pakistan is ready to talk with India to resolve all outstanding issues, including the Kashmir issue.
"Pakistan continues to believe in using dialogue and diplomacy to resolve all outstanding issues, including the Kashmir dispute and is ready to move forward on this front if India also agrees to do so," Pakistan's COAS was quoted as saying by Dawn Newspaper.
He made these remarks on Saturday during the Islamabad Security Dialogue.
Last year, Gen Bajwa had made similar remarks at this very event when he had said it was time for India-Pakistan to "bury the past and move forward".
The Pakistan army chief said Pakistan wanted the Sino-India border to be resolved soon through diplomacy and dialogue as well.
"I believe it is time for the political leadership of the region to rise above their emotional and perceptional biases and break the shackles of history to bring peace and prosperity to almost three billion people of the region," he said.
Last month, Pakistan had said it wishes to have mutually beneficial relations with all its neighbours including India and resolve all outstanding disputes. Pakistan Charge d'Affaires in New Delhi, Aftab Hassan Khan had stressed that it is essential to resolve the core issue for lasting peace and stability in the region.
India on several occasions has said that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan. India's consistent position is that issues between India and Pakistan should be resolved bilaterally and peacefully, in an atmosphere free of terror and violence.
New Delhi has maintained that the onus is on Pakistan to create such a conducive environment.
Pakistan continues to sponsor cross border terrorism against India; restrict normal trade, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges; and engage in hostile and fabricated propaganda to vilify India, according to the Ministry of External Affairs annual report.
Last year, both countries had renewed ceasefire understanding between Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs).
The understanding held quite well for the first few months, but Pakistan again upped the ante in terms of cross-border infiltrations and ceasefire violations from July 2021.
