NEW YORK - Pakistan will not give up the right to meet Kashmiri leaders, Adviser on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has said, while conceding that the timing of Pakistani High Commissioner’s meeting with them could have been different.
Speaking in separate interviews with Indian television channels, Sartaj Aziz welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement in the UN General Assembly on the need for resumption of dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad as “encouraging”, but said that India, which cancelled foreign secretary-level talks last month, must take the initiative for their resumption.
“The ball is now in India’s court,” Aziz said. The Indian foreign secretary, he added, has to contact his Pakistani counterpart to set a new date for the dialogue.
Under sharp questioning about contacts with Hurriyat leaders, the adviser said, “The timing of the meeting between the Pakistan High Commissioner to India and the Hurriyat leaders was not right, and it could have been avoided. The newly-elected leaders of both the countries missed an opportunity of starting a dialogue.”
Aziz said had the request from India about not holding meeting with Hurriyat leaders ahead of the FS-level meeting come a little earlier “probably it could have been considered.”
However, in this case the “message came at a time when one Hurriyat leader was already in Pakistan’s High Commission (in New Delhi),” he said.
“The talks should not have been cancelled as the issue was not that big. Kashmiri leaders have been meeting us as the Kashmir is one of the issues, which are to be discussed. Dialogue with Hurriyat leaders has been a regular practice since last 20-30 years.”
He further added that, “We are upset after India cancelled the talks. Talks are the only way forward for us.”
Meanwhile, at the United Nations General Assembly, Pakistan and India had a verbal exchange on Saturday night over PM Modi’s call for Islamabad not to raise the Kashmir dispute at the world body  “The United Nations is the most appropriate forum to raise the issue of Jammu and Kashmir,” Diyar Khan, a consular at the Pakistan Mission to the UN, told the 193-member Assembly, while exercising his right to reply to the Indian leader’s suggestion.
The Pakistani diplomat referred to Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’s speech to the 193-member Assembly on Friday in which he made it clear that the right to self-determination has to be exercised by the people of Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.
About PM Modi’s assertion that his government is seeking bilateral talks with Pakistan but can’t engage in talks under “a shadow of terrorism,” Diyar Khan said Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and emphasises pursuit of dialogue and diplomacy for peacefully resolving issues and disputes. “We believe that dialogue should not be stalked by human rights violations; nor by any kind of terrorism.”
As regards PM Modi’s reference to “Pakistan-occupied Kashmir,” he set the record straight, saying that the correct and historic name of this territory is “Azad Jammu and Kashmir”.
Reacting to Pakistani delegate’s statement, Indian delegate Abhishek Singh rejected the remarks made by the Pakistani diplomat, and noted that they were willing to engage in dialogue “without the shadow of terror and fear”. Raising issues in the forum would only derail future efforts of reaching a peaceful settlement, he said. Taking the floor for a second time, Diyar Khan reminded the Indian delegate that it was not Pakistan which stalked the dialogue process. “It was India which cancelled the foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan scheduled for August this year.”
With regard to Kashmir, he said no matter what the Indian delegate says, the issue of Jammu and Kashmir has to be resolved in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.
With regard to terrorism, Diyar Khan said Pakistan itself is the biggest victim of terrorism planted on its soil, some of it emanating from our immediate neighbourhood. Terrorism is a common threat and we must all work together to eliminate it, he added. Agencies add: Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry has reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to promote international peace and inter-faith harmony. He was addressing the Group of Friends Ministerial Meeting of the UN Alliance of Civilisations in New York.
The theme of the meeting was “New and Emerging Ideological Threats to Global Peace and Co-Existence”.
The Foreign Secretary highlighted Pakistan’s role and contribution to international efforts for global peace and dialogue.
He said that Pakistan presents annual resolution on promotion of Inter-religious and Inter-Cultural Dialogue, Understanding and Cooperation for Peace, which is adopted each year by consensus among member states.
He informed the participants that Pakistan had established a Ministry of National Harmony to promote interfaith dialogue and harmony in the country.
Inter-faith harmony committees had been established in all districts of the country where representatives of all faiths and religions interact, he said.
Appreciating UNAOC’s initiatives on protecting religious freedoms, fostering media pluralism and gearing education and youth towards strengthening intercultural links, the Foreign Secretary assured of Pakistan’s continued support to the work of Alliance to help achieve the cause of global peace and prosperity.