*ISLAMABAD – Pakistan and India are likely to resume the formal dialogueafter the warmth shown by PM Imran Khan and PM Narendra Modi. *
*Pakistan and Indian foreign ministers are likely to meet during the 73rdsession of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York nextmonth, and likely to hold an audience on the sidelines of the UNGA.*
The UNGA session will kick off from September 18.
According to Times of India, there is no official proposal yet for ameeting, however, there’s an understanding among both sides that theyshould make use of this first available opportunity for a significantcontact between the two countries in line with the call by both NarendraModi and Imran Khan for constructive engagement.Modi had written to Khan after his swearing-in expressing commitment for“constructive and meaningful’’ engagement with Pakistan. For the Modigovernment, UNGA offers a great opportunity to break the ice with the newgovernment in Pakistan before it seriously considers moving on to moresubstantive engagement.While India has ruled out formal talks, or the startof comprehensive bilateral dialogue, the government’s position does notpreclude any interaction with Pakistan leaders at multilateral events, thereport adds.
According to the TOI report, a substantive bilateral engagement though,which means having comprehensive dialogue, may still have to wait until theImran Khan’s government shows some inclination to bring the perpetrators ofPathankot and Mumbai attacks to justice.
The Pathankot incident worsened the ties between two neighbouring countriesin December 2015.