India terms SAPM Moeed talks claim fictitious

Two days after the Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan on national security revealed Indian feelers for bilateral talks, New Delhi described the claim as fictitious on Thursday.

In an interview to Karan Thapar for The Wire on Tuesday, Moeed Yusuf, the PM's Special Assistant, had claimed that Pakistan had got messages in the "past year" about a "desire of conversation" from India. Mr Yusuf had, however, refused to offer any more details on this message that had allegedly been conveyed by India or possibly by someone on India's behalf.

This was the first interview to an Indian media outlet by a Pakistani official since New Delhi ended occupied Kashmir's special status in August last year. "The statements made by him are contrary to facts on the ground, misleading and fictitious. As regards the purported message that was referred to, let me make it clear that no such message was sent from our side," said Indian FM spokesman.

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