NEW DELHI – Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Mondaythat there cannot be any comprehensive dialogue with Pakistan till it shunsterrorism. “We are always ready for talks with Pakistan but with a caveatthat terror and talks cannot go together… there cannot be a comprehensivedialogue till Pakistan shuns terror… when people are dying on the border,talk of dialogue is not appropriate,” she said.
The EAM was replying to a question on whether India-Pakistan talks can takeplace after the general elections there. However, she admitted that theNSAs of India and Pakistan meet to hold “talks on terror”.
Swaraj also hit out at Pakistan over its “Gilgit Baltistan Order 2018″relating to administrative control over Gilgit-Baltistan.
Pakistan on Monday summoned India’s Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh andissued a demarche over the Indian statement that the entire state of Jammuand Kashmir, which also includes the so-called ‘Gilgit-Baltistan’ areas, isan integral part of India by virtue of its accession in 1947.
Pakistan Cabinet on May 21 had approved Gilgit-Baltistan Order 2018 whichwas also endorsed by the Assembly for the region. The order is being seenas Pakistan’s efforts towards incorporating the disputed region as itsfifth province.
India on Sunday had summoned Pakistan’s Deputy High Commissioner SyedHaider Shah in New Delhi and lodged a strong protest over Islamabad’slatest move, saying any action to alter the status of any part of theterritory under its “forcible and illegal occupation” has no legal basis.