India closed doors to negotiations: Sartaj

Says dossier was to be given to India if talks were not suspended; issue of Indian involvement in terrorism brought into UN’s notice; Pakistan deeply concerned over Afghan situation
UNITED NATIONS: Adviser to the PM on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz has said the evidences of Indian involvement in terrorism in Pakistan would have been handed over to India had it not closed the doors to negotiations.
He said Pakistan had brought the matter of Indian involvement in Pakistan in the notice of the United Nations. Pakistan on Thursday submitted a dossier at the office of the UN secretary-general on Indian interference and support to terrorism. The dossier, a set of three documents titled — India’s interference and support to terrorism in Balochistan, Fata through TTP and in Karachi — were handed over to the Chief of Staff Susana Malcorra by Pakistan’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations Dr Maleeha Lodhi.
Responding to a question, Sartaj Aziz said each document comprised 15-20 pages and further discussion on the UN action would take place later. He said the documents contained ‘solid proof’ and their content might be shared in due course of time.
About the Indian external affairs minister’s speech at the UN General Assembly earlier in the day, accusing Pakistan of abetting terrorism while demanding talks, Sartaj dismissed the allegation. “India is trying to avoid dialogue on one pretext or the other and since all doors have been closed, we were left with no option but to hand the dossier over the UN secretary-general.”
“While they are accusing us of sponsoring non-state actors, India’s state actors are involved in terrorist activities in Pakistan,” he added.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had earlier told the press that the dossier containing proofs of New Delhi’s interference would soon be handed over to the UN.
Sartaj, who was flanked by Maleeha and Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed, said Pakistan had always supported dialogue with India for a peaceful resolution of all outstanding issues. He said the joint statement issued at Ufa, Russia, following the meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Narendra Modi, clearly stated that the two sides would discuss all issues and the meeting of the national security advisers would deal only with terrorism.
He said India insisted that the talks should focus only on terrorism, while Pakistan stood for discussion on all issues. He said during the Composite Dialogue process, the two countries held talks simultaneously on eight different areas “but now they (India) are only stuck on terrorism”.
Referring to the firing by Indian troops along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, Sartaj said 900 border violations had been recorded in a period of nine months. He said Pakistan had been stressing to make the United Nations Military Observer Group on India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) more effective as it had the manpower and resources to monitor such violations and even determine who had initiated the firing.
Sartaj said Pakistan conveyed its stance in statements at various UN fora and during interaction with key world leaders during the 70th session of the UN General Assembly. He termed the session as “very important” and said the prime minister had an opportunity to share his views with world leaders at five different summits and meetings.
To a question whether the US has played any role in defusing the tension, he said the United States supported the dialogue between Pakistan and India.
About the situation in Afghanistan, Sartaj said Pakistan had serious concerns over the developments, especially following the attack on Kunduz.
“Pakistan stands for peace and stability in Afghanistan and looks forward to resumption of the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned reconciliation process,” he said, adding that the United States and China were fully supportive of the process.
On the other hand, Maleeha told a TV channel the prime minister had accurately showcased Pakistan’s point of view at the UN General Assembly.
She said Nawaz presented a four-point peace agenda before the international community but the Indian reaction was disappointing. “Pakistan expressed its intentions on a key forum,” she added.
She said diplomatic relations between the countries were a process and their progress was issue based. Pakistan’s positive approach towards peace was reflected in the PM’s speech, she added.
“International community observed which country wants peace whereas which country refuses the dialogue proposal on disputed issues,” she explained.
To another question, she said Nawaz rightly stated in his speech that South Asia had a history of missed opportunities which, she added, resulted in poverty and illiteracy in the region, with both India and Pakistan paying the cost of “opportunity lost”.