Pak urges India to take steps for bilateral talks

Pakistan today asked India to take steps to resume bilateral talks instead of issuing 'provocative' statements.

Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal made the remarks in response to a query about Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's statement that India will not open fire first, but if Pakistan does so, it would unleash a volley of fire.

"India should walk the talk and refrain from provocative statements. Our armed forces practice restraint but have the capacity and are ever vigilant to give a befitting response to any threat to the motherland," Faisal said.

He claimed that India was violating the ceasefire agreement and 23 civilians were killed so far in 2018 and more than 100 others injured in over 1,000 ceasefire violations.

To a question, he said that 'there is no confirmation of any hand-shake or a formal meeting' between prime ministers of Pakistan and India during the recently concluded CHOGM meet in London.

He also confirmed that Pakistani troops will be part of military exercises under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation ambit along with other members including India.

To a question, Faisal said that US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Alice Wells, was in Islamabad earlier this week for talks and Pakistan briefed her about the situation in Kashmir as well as there was discussion about Afghanistan.

He said Pakistan's relations with Russia were constantly improving as evident from recent visits by Foreign Minister, Chief of Army Staff and National Security Adviser to Russia.  -- PTI