Pakistan peace talks collapse, deadlock sours relations

Swaraj told the local media in New Delhi that Indian NSA Doval was ready to hand over fresh evidence of underworld don and mastermind of 1993 Mumbai terror attack Dawood Ibrahim’s presence in Pakistan – his latest photo, a telephone bill in his wife Mehjabeen’s name, four Pakistani passports in his name and travel papers of his family – to Aziz.

Islamabad, Pakistan’s National Security Adviser Sartaj Aziz said here on Saturday he is still prepared to go to New Delhi for talks with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval and it will be regretful if the talks were cancelled on “flimsy grounds”.

Aziz said the Pakistan high commission had invited separatist leaders to enable him to meet a cross-section of leaders.

“(What it means is more) mutual accusations, acrimony, more provocations”, said Siddharth Varadarajan, a political analyst and former editor of the Hindu newspaper in India. She recalled that the agenda was set on the basis of an agreement reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in Ufa in July.

Sushma Swaraj said that the talks would be held only on the issue of terrorism and not Kashmir, as decided in Ufa, Russia. Pakistan denies the allegations and blames India for fomenting unrest inside Pakistan. We will show them a live terrorist.

It further said that in the final word from Pakistan, “thankfully, the war of words came to an end on Saturday night with peace and better bilateral relations emerging as the biggest loser”.

“An overbearing India yesterday dashed hopes for peace in the region by virtually murdering planned talks with Pakistan by putting “unacceptable” conditions, though none of the two sides officially declared the death of dialogue”, it reported.

In August a year ago, India called off planned meetings between the countries’ foreign secretaries as Pakistan wanted to meet with Kashmiri leaders – as has been the practice that is now opposed by the Indian government led by nationalist Modi.