New Delhi: BJP today seemed to disapprove of the Pakistan High Commission’s invite to Kashmir’s separatist leaders for a meeting with Pakistan’s NSA, saying it should take India’s stand on the issue into account before taking such decisions. “Pakistan knows our stand. If we want talks and if Pakistan wants it too, as it keeps telling world that India is not talking while they want it, then they should take a decision taking into account our stand. There is no need to clear the party’s stand again and again,” BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain told a press conference.
He, however, declined to give a categorical reply to a question, asking if India should call off the NSA-level talks if the Pakistan NSA went ahead with his meeting with separatists. “Pakistan knows our stand and so does the whole country,” he insisted in reply to the query.
India had earlier called off foreign secretary-level talks, protesting its high commissioner’s meeting with separatists ahead of the meeting. Pakistan High Commission has called hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani for a meeting with Pakistan’s NSA Sartaj Aziz and invited moderate separatist Kashmiri leaders, including its Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq for a reception. Aziz is expected to arrive in New Delhi on August 23 for the talks.
