Pakistan-India peace process stands suspended: Abdul Basit

NEW DELHI: Pakistan’s High Commissioner in New Delhi, Abdul Basit Thursday said the peace process between India and Pakistan stands suspended.

“I think at present the peace process between India and Pakistan is suspended,” said Abdul Basit while addressing a press conference here at the Foreign Correspondents club.

Abdul Basit said the recent arrest of Kulbhushan Yadav in Pakistan irrefutably corroborates ‘what Pakistan has been saying all along’.

“We all are aware of those who seek to create unrest in Pakistan and destabilize the country. They are bound to fail as the people of Pakistan are united to effectively counter anti-Pakistan subversive activities.”

He termed the dispute of Indian held Kashmir as the root cause of mutual distrust between Pakistan and India and other bilateral issues.

“Therefore, it’s fair and just resolution, as per the aspirations of the people Kashmir, is imperative. Attempts to put it on the back burner will be counterproductive,” said Abdul Basit while addressing a gathering at the Foreign Correspondents club here.

He said Pakistan wants to have a normal and peaceful relationship with India on the basis of sovereign equality and mutual interest. “There is national consensus on this in Pakistan,” he added.

Basit, however, said there is no shortcut to achieving a lasting piece; nor does cherry-picking work. “What we need is to engage uninterruptedly, comprehensively and meaningfully.’

He stressed the need to break the ‘carapace of complacency and dispense with self-serving approaches’.