‘Pak may name NSA for India peace talks’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani government is actively considering appointing a national security advisor to revive backchannel diplomacy with India to iron out issues hindering the resumption of peace talks, official sources said on Sunday.

Since taking charge l ast August, Prime Minister Imran Khan repeatedly reached out to India for the resumption of peace talks on all outstanding issues. But India has made it clear to Pakistan that terrorism and dialogue will not go hand in hand.

The likely appointment of the NSA is meant for reviving the backchannel diplomacy with India to sort out some of the pressing issues between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, the official sources privy to the development was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune.

A senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the government was likely to appoint a retired military official as the NSA. Some names were under consideration but no final decision has been taken yet, the official added.

India-pakistan ties are currently at an all-time low after a Pakistan-based Jaish-e-mohammed terrorist attacked a CRPF convoy in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir on February 14 that killed 40 soldiers. Amid mounting outrage, the Indian Air Force carried out a counterterror operation, hitting what it said was a JEM training camp in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26. The next day, the PAF retaliated and downed a MIG-21 in an aerial combat and captured IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman.