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Ready for talks but ball in India's court: Sharif

Pakistan Prime Minister says since cancellation of talks was New Delhi's unilateral decision, the question about talks should be put to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif waves as he arrives at the Tribhuwan Airport to attend the 18th summit of Saarc in Katmandu. -AP

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday said Islamabad is ready to hold talks with India but "the ball is now in India's court", the Geo News reported.

Speaking in the Nepal's capital city, where he reached on Tuesday to attend 18th Summit of South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (Saarc) on November 26-27, Sharif said the question about bilateral talks should be put to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

"Cancellation of talks was New Delhi's unilateral decision," the Pakistan prime minister said, adding "ball is now India's court for talks between both the countries".

Earlier in the day, Sartaj Aziz, advisor to Prime Minister Sharif on national security and foreign affairs, on his arrival here denied that there were any plans for a Modi-Sharif bilateral. He, however, said that such a meeting could be held if Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj makes a request.

He said it was up to India to have "informal talks" with Pakistan.

Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday briefly met and shook hands with Aziz on the eve of the Saarc Summit but later clarified to media that "it was out of courtesy".

Angered by the Pakistan High Commissioner’s refusal to call off talks with Kashmiri separatist leaders in New Delhi, despite Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh calling up High Commissioner Abdul Basit to request it, India called off on August 25, 2014, foreign secretary level talks with Pakistan.