New Delhi, June 20: India has rejected a claim on Thursday that it has responded to Pakistan’s call for talks and further clarified New Delhi seeks cooperative and normal relations with all its nieghbours, including Islamabad.
India’s external affairs of ministry (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, “As per the established diplomatic practice, PM and EAM have responded to the congratulatory messages received from their counterparts in Pakistan. In their messages, they have highlighted that India seeks normal and cooperative relations with all neighbours, including Pakistan.”
According to ANI news reports, Kumar’s statement comes at a time when addressing queries over India’s replies to the congratulatory message by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
The development comes after diplomatic sources citing Pakistani media reported Narendra Modi, Indian Prime Minister, and MEA S Jaishankar had expressed willingness to hold dialogues with Pakistani officials, in reply to Islamabad’s congratulatory messages.
The MEA spokesperson further added Modi’s reply stressed over the importance of constructing an “environment of trust, free of terror, violence, and hostility”, whereas the EAM “emphasized the need for an atmosphere free from the shadow of terror and violence”.
Relations have soared between Pakistan and India since February 14 Pulwama terror attack which claimed the lives of 44 CRPF personnel. Pakistan based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar has claimed the responsibility of the suicide bombing attack in Jammu and Kashmir.