ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said he was ready to hold talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. He conceded that it was not in Islamabad’s interest to allow the use of its territory for terror activities outside the country.
Mr. Khan was reportedly referring to India’s stance that terrorism and talks could not go together and that Pakistan needed to take effective and credible action to stop providing shelter and support to cross-border terrorism from territories under its control.
In an interaction with a group of Indian journalists in Islamabad, he said Pakistan people wanted peace with India. “The mindset of people here has changed.”
When asked whether it is possible to resolve the Kashmir issue, he said nothing was impossible. “I am ready for talks on any issue. There can’t be a military solution for Kashmir.” He, however, said the gesture for peace cannot be one-sided.
“We are willing to wait for [general] election to get over in India for a gesture from New Delhi,” he said.
On punishing Mumbai attack mastermind and Jamat-ud Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed, who is carrying a $10 million U.S. bounty, Mr. Khan said, “there are United Nations sanctions against Hafiz Saeed. There is already a clampdown on him.”