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1st Ld Writethru: Pakistan envoy says peace process with India remains suspended

Xinhua, April 7, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi Abdul Basit Thursday said peace process between India and Pakistan remains suspended.

"I think at present the peace process between India and Pakistan is suspended," Basit said addressing a press conference at the Foreign Correspondent's Club in the capital city.

The Pakistan envoy told media since there was no meeting scheduled between the foreign secretaries of the two countries, it remains to be seen whether India and Pakistan are able to commence the dialogue process.

High-level talks between the two nuclear neighbors were cancelled earlier this year following a deadly attack on Indian airbase at Pathankot in Punjab state. Since then no new date was finalized.

Prior to that, foreign secretary-level talks between two countries failed to kick-start after New Delhi cited reservations over Pakistan's engagement with Kashmiri separatists ahead of the talks.

"It is the Jammu and Kashmir dispute that is the root cause of mutual distrust," Basit said. "There shouldn't be any doubt that Pakistan wants to have a normal and peaceful relationship with India."

Recently a joint investigation team (JIT) from Pakistan was on a visit to India to investigate the Pathankot attack.

"The JIT visited the crime scene and also recorded the statements of some witnesses. However, the witnesses belonging to the Indian security forces were not produced before it," a statement issued by Pakistan's foreign ministry Wednesday said.

Basit said India's request to allow officials from National Investigation Agency (NIA) to Pakistan to carry out probe into Pathankot terror attack was under consideration.

"This investigation is not about reciprocity, but about extending cooperation to get to the bottom of the attack," he said.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir. Endit