Ready for talks whenever India is ready: Pakistan

Islamabad, May 13: Pakistan said it is ready for talks whenever India is ready and underlined that dialogue was the best option to resolve all outstanding issues.

"Pakistan's position has been stated a number of times. We are ready for dialogue whenever India is ready," Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said at the weekly press briefing.

He said dialogue was the best option to deal with all outstanding issues. Zakaria said that in line with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's vision, "We pursue a policy of good neighbourly relations in the larger interest of regional security, progress and economic prosperity, for which dialogue to settle contentious issues is an imperative."

He said Pakistan believes in uninterrupted, sustainable and result-oriented dialogue in which all issues of mutual concern are discussed and resolved.

Talking about the alleged Indian "spy" arrested in Pakistan, Zakaria said he was apprehended in March and the Indian request for consular access was received in April.

He pointed out any consular access request is considered under Vienna convention on Consular Relations in general. Kulbhushan Jadhav was reportedly arrested in Balochistan after he entered from Iran and was accused by Pakistan of planning "subversive activities" in the country.

Zakaria said India and Pakistan also have a bilateral agreement, the relevant clauses of which apply on such circumstances in which Jadhav was arrested. "He was involved in terrorism and terror financing in Pakistan.

To put it simply, the Indian request for consular access has indeed been received and shall be considered in keeping with the relevant clauses of the two agreements," Zakaria said.

The spokesperson also said that the next round of Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) -- Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and US -- would be held this month to continue efforts for starting dialogue between the Taliban and Afghanistan.

PTI