Terror not interest of Pakistan: Imran
OLIVE BRANCH Says willing to wait for general elections for Indian response on offer for talks, hints at more pilgrimage corridors
The India I know majority must be appreciating it (the Kartarpur corridor for visaless travel of pilgrims from India’s Gurdaspur) IMRAN KHAN, Prime Minister, Pakistan
PakistanPrimeMinister Imran Khan said on Thursday that he was ready to hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while conceding that it was not in the interest of his country to allow terror activities from its territory.
Khan’s remarks came a day after external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj categorically ruled out holding talks with Pakistan unless it stops cross-border terror activities.
“It is not in our interest to allow use of Pakistan’s territory for terror outside,” Khan, whose government turned 100 days old on Thursday, said during an interaction with a group of Indian journalists here.
Khan said people in Pakistan want peace with India and he will be happy to talk to Modi on any issue. “I am ready for talks on any issue. There can’t be a military solution for Kashmir,” he said, adding “nothing is impossible” when asked whether it is possible to resolve the Kashmir issue.
“The mindset of people here has changed,” Khan said, a day after he laid the foundation-stone for the Kartarpur corridor that will connect Darbar Sahib in Pakistan’s Kartarpur - the final resting place of Sikh faith’s founder Guru Nanak Dev - with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India’s Gurdaspur district and will facilitate visa-free movement of Indian Sikh pilgrims to Kartarpur.
Pakistan is projecting the corridor as a goodwill gesture.
“The India I know - majority must be appreciating it,” Khan told the Indian journalists who had arrived in Pakistan to cover the groundbreaking ceremony of the corridor.
Khan reportedly told “The Hindu” that “We can consider other proposals including opening up travel for the Sharada Peeth in Kashmir, Katasraj and other Hindu shrines too.” To this, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti tweeted: “Great initiative of offering peace through these channels. PM @narendramodi ji should consider the offer by PakPM (Pakistan Prime Minister) @ImranKhanPTI for opening of SharadaPeeth in Kashmir, Katasraj & other shrines too this will certainly bridge the gap & usher peace in region.”
ISLAMABAD: I am ready for talks on any issue. There can’t be a military solution for Kashmir. It is not in our interest to allow use of Pakistan’s territory for terror outside