India's hostile attitude raising regional tension, says Sharif

 

Indias hostile attitude raising regional tension, says Sharif
Nawaz Sharif.

Islamabad - Pakistani PM urged the international community to play its role to stop a dangerous slide towards a Pakistan-India crisis.

By Afzal Khan

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Published: Sun 25 Oct 2015, 12:00 AM

Last updated: Sun 25 Oct 2015, 9:01 AM

Lamenting the largely cold response to his country's peace proposals, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said India's belligerent attitude is enhancing tensions in the region.
He urged the international community to play its role to stop a dangerous slide towards what he warned was a Pakistan-India crisis. "Clearly, there is a real and present threat to peace and security in South Asia. The international community can no longer pretend that it does not exist," Sharif said while addressing a gathering at the US Institute of Peace on Friday as he wrapped up his four-day long tour of the US.
Sharif flew into London on Saturday for two day stay en route to home.
In Washington on his visit at the invitation of US President Barack Obama whom he met on Thursday, relations with India figured prominently during his meetings with US congressional and administration officials.
He sought US help in persuading New Delhi to resume bilateral dialogue with Islamabad.
Though there was no word from White House on Sharif repeating allegation of RAW stoking terrorist activities in Pakistan, particularly Balochistan and Karachi, in his unusually extended two-hour long session with President Obama, Pakistani media reported he raised the issue with Secretary of State John Kerry .
The prime minister avoided a stake out with media but Foreign Affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz Nawaz briefed Pakistani media persons on Friday before leaving Washington. He described the visit as successful adding that most of its main objectives had been achieved.
A lengthy "joint statement{ was issued by Foreign Office here almost midway the Obama-Sharif meeting was in progress lasting nearly two hours. It did not refer to Pak allegations of Indian involvement in terrorist activities to destabilise Pakistan. It did mention Kashmir but only in general terms of pious wish for resolving it through bilateral dialogue.
On Taleban, the Pakistani premier pointed out contradicting in US position of sponsoring Afghan-Taleban dialogue and at the same thing me urging Pakistan to crush them. At the Institute Sharif noted how the positive momentum, gathered immediately after Narendra Modi's election as Indian premier, had come to a screeching halt when India cancelled the foreign secretary level talks in August 2014 in over a "flimsy excuse".
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