Pak PM writes to PM Modi, says ‘Talks important to resolve Issues’

SRINAGAR: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan reportedly wrote a letter to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi last month, in the midst of the Indian general elections, stressing on the need to resume a dialogue process to “resolve all outstanding issues” between the two countries.

The letter, written as a response to PM Modi’s message to Khan on Pakistan’s 23 March National Day, had said that “it was time for the people of the subcontinent to work for a progressive, democratic and prosperous region in an atmosphere free of terror and violence”, The Times of India reported.

Khan had also highlighted the centrality of the Kashmir issue for Pakistan and called for a dialogue on all issues.

Imran Khan had also written a letter to Modi last year, seeking to re-start the bilateral talks on key issues “challenging the relationship” including on terrorism and Kashmir.

In the letter dated 14 September, the cricketer-turned-politician had proposed a meeting between Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York later in 2018.

“Building on the mutual desire for peace between our two countries, I wish to propose a meeting between Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, before the informal meeting of the SAARC foreign ministers at the sidelines of the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York,” Khan had written, as per PTI.

In the letter to Khan, Modi conveyed India’s commitment to pursue “meaningful” and “constructive” engagement with Pakistan and emphasising the need to work for a terror-free South Asia.