New Delhi: Ahead of talks between their National Security Advisers, India and Pakistan today indulged in a war of words with Islamabad asserting that it will not abandon "the Kashmiris' legitimate struggle for freedom", drawing a sharp reaction from New Delhi.
"The only struggle in J&K is against Pakistani-sponsored terrorism. This will be the subject of the upcoming NSA-level talks," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.
His comments came after Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit said his country will not "abandon" the Kashmiris' "legitimate struggle for freedom", stressing that to have normal and cooperative relationship with India it was necessary to settle the decades-old dispute.
"Aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir could neither be ignored nor put on the back burner. No matter how much more time their legitimate struggle takes, Pakistan will never abandon Kashmiris and their cause," he said.
National Security Adviser is scheduled to meet his Pakistan counterpart Sartaz Aziz for talks on terrorism-related issues for the first time on August 23 in New Delhi, as decided in a meeting between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif last month in Ufa in Russia.
India is expected to present strong evidence of terrorism emanating from Pakistan highlighted further by recent attacks in Gurdaspur in Punjab and near Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir.
"The only struggle in J&K is against Pakistani-sponsored terrorism. This will be the subject of the upcoming NSA-level talks," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.
His comments came after Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit said his country will not "abandon" the Kashmiris' "legitimate struggle for freedom", stressing that to have normal and cooperative relationship with India it was necessary to settle the decades-old dispute.
"Aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir could neither be ignored nor put on the back burner. No matter how much more time their legitimate struggle takes, Pakistan will never abandon Kashmiris and their cause," he said.
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National Security Adviser is scheduled to meet his Pakistan counterpart Sartaz Aziz for talks on terrorism-related issues for the first time on August 23 in New Delhi, as decided in a meeting between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif last month in Ufa in Russia.
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India is expected to present strong evidence of terrorism emanating from Pakistan highlighted further by recent attacks in Gurdaspur in Punjab and near Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir.
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