Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar has accepted an invitation extended by his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Chaudhry to hold talks on the Jammu and Kashmir issue, sources said.
“In response to the invitation from the Pakistan Foreign Secretary, the Indian Foreign Secretary has conveyed his willingness to visit Islamabad,” sources here said.
“Since aspects related to cross-border terrorism are central to the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir, we have proposed that discussions between the Foreign Secretaries be focussed on them,” they said.
“We have also conveyed that the government of India rejects in their entirety the self-serving allegations regarding the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India where Pakistan has no locus standi.”
The Foreign Office said that Chaudhry called on the Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan on Monday and handed him an invitation meant for Jaishankar.
New Delhi accuses Islamabad of arming and training the militants fighting to end Indian rule in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan says it gives only moral and diplomatic backing.
India-Pakistan ties have become frosty after largescale violence broke out in Jammu and Kashmir following the killing of militant Burhan Wani on 8 July.
On 25 July, Indian authorities arrested Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Bahadur Ali in Kashmir.