ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is reported to have written to PM Narendra Modi seeking a resumption of talks between the two neighbours. He reportedly said the dialogue was important to resolve all outstanding issues, including J&K.
Reports say the letter came in response to PM Modi’s message to Khan on Pakistan National Day on March 23 wherein the former had said it was time for the people of the subcontinent to work for a progressive, democratic and prosperous region in “an atmosphere free of terror and violence”.
A leading daily has pointed out that while his earlier letter of September 2018, which had proposed bilateral talks between foreign minister at UNGA, had mentioned a discussion on terrorism, this time Khan’s missive talks of “dialogue on all issues”.
“Khan has reiterated Pakistan’s position but India’s stand on dialogue resumption is well known. It’s unlikely that any new government will rush headlong into talks with Pakistan,” said a source to the daily.
Khan had raised many an eyebrow when he said last month that “there may be a better chance of Indo-Pak peace talks and settling of the Kashmir issue if the BJP government is voted back to power”.
Off the record, Pakistan diplomats have claimed that there could be a “progress” on the Kashmir issue only under a right-wing government.
Meanwhile, India and Pakistan leaders are likely to come face-to-face in June for the SCO summit in Kyrgyzstan. The new government is also likely to wait and see how Pakistan implements the UNSC ban on JeM chief Masood Azhar.