Pakistan said on Thursday it wants good ties with India, but New Delhi must show seriousness in engaging in dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues, including Kashmir.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mumtaz Zahra Baloch told the weekly briefing that Pakistan continues to pursue a peaceful neighborhood policy, based on mutual respect and sovereign equality, with all South Asian countries.
“Pakistan is interested in peace and dialogue and it is up to the Indian authorities to take a responsible position to improve relations,” he said.
“Pakistan consistently maintained that bilateral relations cannot be fully normalized until outstanding disputes are resolved, especially the central issue of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said, adding that Islamabad will endeavor to resolve the Kashmir dispute as per the resolutions of the UN.
India-Pakistan relations have been strained by the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.
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Ties between the two countries took a nosedive after India repealed Article 370 of the Constitution, revoking Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and splitting the state into two Union Territories on August 5, 2019.
India’s decision provoked a strong reaction from Pakistan, which downgraded diplomatic ties and expelled the Indian envoy.
Trade ties between Pakistan and India have largely frozen since then. India has told Pakistan that the entire Union Territory of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh was and always will be an integral and inalienable part of the country.
Baloch said Pakistan wants good ties with other South Asian countries including Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.
She said Islamabad enjoys good ties with the world’s major nations and will further deepen relations in the coming days.
He added that Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited various countries to show his interest in expanding and strengthening friendships around the world.
