Pakistan willing to resume anti-terrorism talks with India: Islamabad

Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria has said that Islamabad is willing to resume talks with India on the issue of terrorism.

Islamabad: Amidst ongoing tension between New Delhi and Islamabad, the Pakistan government on Friday said that it is willing to resume talks with India on the issue of terrorism.

"India wants to speak of terrorism! We also insist on speaking of terrorism, which forms one of the elements of the comprehensive dialogue process,"  Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria told media while alleging that Kulbhushan Yadav and many other examples are irrefutable proof of India's involvement in Pakistan. 

Responding to US Ambassador to UN Nikki Haley hinting at US mediation between India and Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir, Zakaria said Pakistan has always welcomed offers of mediation, which has been made by various countries, to resolve the outstanding issue of Jammu and Kashmir dispute between Pakistan and India.

Earlier, Haley had said that the Trump Administration will try to be part of efforts to deescalate tensions between India and Pakistan.

"It`s absolutely right that this administration is concerned about the relationship between India and Pakistan and very much wants to see how we deescalate any sort of conflict going forward," she told media here on Monday after the United States assumed the presidentship of the United Nations Security Council for the month of April.

Ambassador Haley, who is of Indian ancestry, was asked whether Washington would make any effort to get India and Pakistan to engage in peace talks.

It was the first comment by a member of the Trump Administration on escalating tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi.Reacting to the offer of mediation, Indian External Affairs Ministry (MEA) had said that the government`s position for bilateral redressal of all issues concerning India and Pakistan in an environment free of terror and violence hasn`t changed yet.

"We, of course, expect the international community and organisations to enforce international mechanisms and mandates concerning terrorism emanating from Pakistan which continues to be the single biggest threat to peace and stability in our region and beyond," MEA official spokesperson Gopal Baglay said.