LAHORE – Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir maintained on Wednesday that Pakistan’s agenda for talks with India is open in every respect and Kashmir dispute and water issue will be on top of it during today’s (Thursday’s) parleys in New Delhi as both sides exchanged terse allegations over the disputed territory of Kashmir ahead of the meeting.
“We are optimistic about the dialogue and we will discuss all issues. We should not look into it (dialogue) with the angle of ‘success or failure’ and wait for the best. It is premature to speculate about the outcome at this stage,” Salman Bashir told reporters before departure of his delegation to New Delhi, here at Allama Iqbal International Airport.
According to Bashir, Pakistan wants to move forward the current process of talks and has the desire to hold talks at the foreign minister level between the two countries. He said that to say anything about the outcome of negotiations at this stage would be premature and the situation would be clear after the conclusion of talks between the two countries. He rejected the news reports that any change has been made in the delegation and termed it as ‘misunderstanding’.
Bashir said all major issues would be discussed during talks with Indian counterparts. The major issues to be discussed in the talks include counter terrorism, Kashmir dispute and water issue, Salman Bashir said, adding there is no bar from any side to discuss any other issue.
“Any issue can be raised and discussed,” he said. “World knows Pakistan’s efforts and struggle in counter terrorism and international community has recognised Pakistan’s efforts in this regard and India should also realise that it is a global as well as regional issue,” he said. Responding to a question, he stressed the need for continuing the process of composite dialogue and preparation of a road map for future engagements at foreign office level of both the countries.
When he was informed about the arrest of a 13-year-old boy who inadvertently boarded India-bound train from Lahore and was arrested by the Indian authorities, he said this issue would also be raised in the dialogue besides discussing similar issues which are equally important for both the countries.
He pointed out that at “Sharam el Shaikh “ it was agreed between Pakistan and India that terrorism was a common problem and Pakistan has a clear stand vis-a-vis counter terrorism and it would be productive to bracket it in the dialogue.
Responding to another query, he said that after tomorrowÂ’s (Thursday) dialogue there would be more clarity on important issues.
The Foreign Secretary said all issues would be discussed in these meetings and Pakistan would also raise the issue of Kishan-Ganga dam and other important issues. Analysts say the talks could eventually pave the way for the resumption of the formal peace process, broken off after the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Recently, Indian officials have admitted that one Abu Jindal, an Indian national and a key figure who taught the ten gunmen to speak Hindi and prepare for the attack, is Syed Zabiuddin Ansari from Aurangabad in Maharashtra.
The disclosure that an Indian played a key role in the fedayeen commando attacks on the countryÂ’s commercial capital also caused deep discomfort to New Delhi and the Prime Minister had blamed Pakistan for the atrocity.
“Both the countries are poverty-hit and inflation-stricken. A great number of people are living below poverty line in India (population wise) as compared to Pakistan. Both the South Asian neighbours should resolve all issues through dialogue to promote peace in the entire region,” Muhammad Azhar, advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan said.
Observers on Indo-Pak relations are not seeing any breakthrough in the first round of secretary-level talks between the south Asian neighbours, but believed that it would pave way for the resumption of composite dialogue.
Agencies add: Talking to newsmen at Indira Gandhi International Airport upon arrival in New Delhi, Salman Bashir said he was hopeful of positive outcome of Pak-India talks. He said dialogue was a way forward and Pakistan would hold talks with positive mind.
“It is good to be back,” Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir told reporters. “I have come here to bridge the differences (and) I am hopeful of a positive outcome.”
Responding to a question on whether he would raise the issue of Balochistan during the talks, Bashir said all this was part of counterterrorism and could be discussed.
Issuing a statement on BashirÂ’s arrival, Indian External Affairs Ministry said during his stay, the Pakistani Foreign Secretary is also scheduled to call on minister SM Krishna and National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon.
Meanwhile, on the eve of long-awaited talks, Indian border guards in Kashmir said they came under fire from Pakistan on Wednesday, a claim denied by Islamabad.
The conflicting claims coincided with the arrival of the Pakistani foreign secretary in Delhi for the talks.
“The firing from across the border started early morning. A BSF personnel was injured,” Vinod Sharma, a spokesman for the Indian border guards, told Reuters. But Nadeem Raza, a spokesman for Pakistan’s Rangers, told Reuters: “Our troops were not involved in any firing. There may be some problem on their own side.”