ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has asked India not to set any conditions for talks, reiterating its stance that all outstanding disputes between the two countries should be resolved through dialogue.

“You cannot have dialogue and at the same time impose pre-conditions,” Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam told a weekly Press briefing here on Thursday.

She was asked to comment on Indian defence minister’s recent remarks who had said that the early conclusion of the trial of the Mumbai attack accused was mandatory for normalisation of relations and continuation of dialogue and expressed his desire to settle all issues, including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, in a peaceful manner.

Ms Aslam said the trial of the Mumbai case accused was continuing and not held up. “Unlike this, however, the trial of the accused in the Samjhota terrorist attack in which Pakistanis were the victims, is not progressing. I am not saying that we want to hold up progress on one because of the other. But we do expect that Pakistanis who have been victims of terrorists would also get justice.”

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Answering a question about a cross-fire incident between Pakistan and India and reported killing of one Indian soldier, the spokesperson said there had been intermittent and unprovoked firing from the Indian side on the working boundary in Sialkot which resulted in injuries to two Pakistani soldiers. “We have no confirmation that any Indian soldier was killed, but certainly the fire was returned.”

She said Pakistan strongly condemned the recent terrorist attacks in Afghanistan, including the one in Paktika province, in which a large number of innocent civilians, including children, have lost their lives.

She said Pakistan has welcomed the amicable solution reached regarding the complaints of fraud in the second round of Afghan presidential elections.

Referring to the widespread media coverage of a Pakistani journalist in Afghanistan, Ms Aslam said the matter had been actively pursued with the Afghan authorities ever since it was brought to the ministry’s notice. Contacts were established with the Afghan authorities at various levels and in all these contacts, they were asked to release Mr Faizullah Khan on humanitarian grounds. The Afghan authorities, at various levels, promised to help in the case. “Due to these hectic efforts, the most serious charges against Mr Faizullah Khan were dropped. The consulate is now in the process of filing an appeal against the court verdict. I wish to underscore that this case is being pursued as a matter of priority and we will continue our efforts with the Afghan side at the legal and political levels to secure early release of Mr Faizullah Khan,” she said.

Asked to explain Pakistan’s position on the formation of new World Bank under the leadership of India, she said “Brics is an economic grouping and they are entitled to take all steps that they deem feasible for their economic development”.

Answering a question about Pakistan’s expectations from the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to be held in Dushanbe in September, the spokesperson said Islamabad had been participating very actively at highest level in the SCO meetings as observer. “We believe it’s a very useful and relevant forum to discuss the issues this region is facing. Pakistan also looks forward to becoming its full member.”

In reply to a question, Ms Aslam said the Coalition Support Fund was not assistance. “It is essentially a reimbursement of the expenditures that we have already incurred. We are engaged with the US and I think it would be premature to say what kind of counter-terrorism assistance would continue in future,” she said.

Asked to comment on the reports that there was a pressure from influential political circles on Pakistan to abandon the ownership and possession of consulate in Jalalabad, the spokesperson said the issue was being discussed and efforts were being made to resolve it.

Published in Dawn, July 18th, 2014