NSA talk: Pak puts the onus back on India

Islamabad/New Delhi, Aug 22: Putting the onus back on India, Pakistan today said it was prepared for NSA-level talks without any pre-conditions amid continuing signs that the meeting was unlikely to take place.

National Security Adviser Sartaj Aziz, who is scheduled to travel to New Delhi tomorrow for talks with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval, told a press conference in Islamabad that he is ready to travel to India as per schedule but without any pre-conditions.

He was sharply critical of the Indian government for its insistence that he should not meet Kashmiri separatist leaders while in New Delhi and said this was akin to controlling the guest list for a reception being held for him at the Pakistan High Commission tomorrow.

"Cancellation (of the talks) is yet to be confirmed from either side. Therefore, we are ready to go as per schedule without any pre-condition," Aziz said.

Given that there is no likelihood of India changing its stand that separatist Hurriyat had no role in Indo-Pak talks, the possibility of NSAs meeting is remote. The Indian position will be clear later this afternoon when External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj meets media at 4 PM in New Delhi.

PTI