The National Security Adviser-level talks between India and Pakistan scheduled for 23-24 August seem to have hit a dead end following Islamabad's insistence to rake up the Kashmir issue and meet with Kashmiri separatist leaders in New Delhi, as India has rejected both the demands.
Pakistani NSA Sartaj Aziz said on Thursday that he will come to India for the NSA talks only if India allows for a dialogue on Kashmir and a meeting between him and Hurriyat leaders.
However, India has stood its ground, as Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that Kashmir will not be discussed as agreed in the Ufa Agreement and that separatists cannot be made a third party in the spirit of the Simla Agreement.
UPDATES:
5.28 pm (IST): Pakistan government sources have reportedly said that talks will not take place following India's rejection of their demands to discuss Kashmir and meet with separatist leaders.
#NSALevel talks between India and Pakistan unlikely to take place: Pak Govt Sources
— ANI (@ANI_news) August 22, 2015
5.11 pm (IST): India has effectively put the ball in Pakistan's court, and has given it time till midnight to respond on whether it will continue with the NSA talks.
Talks will not happen if Pakistan does not agree with Ufa & Shimla spirit: EAM Sushma Swaraj pic.twitter.com/oTR1Wo3ksu
— ANI (@ANI_news) August 22, 2015
4.54 pm (IST): "There will be disappointment if talks do not take place."
4.50 pm (IST): "If talks do not take place on Sunday, it does not mean it will never take place in the future": Swaraj.
4.49 pm (IST): In response to Paksitan's claim of having dossiers on RAW's involvement in terror in Pakistan, Swaraj said India can present a live person (captured terrorist Usman Naveed)
4.38 pm (IST): Pakistan has till tonight to respond, Swaraj said.
4.36 pm (IST): "There are no pre-conditions, it is in keeping with the spirit of the Shimla Agreement and Ufa agreement that there will be no third party and no talks on Kashmir but only on terror," Swaraj said, in response to Sartaj Aziz's allegations that India was posing pre-conditions.
The Pakistan NSA said that Kashmir has to be on the table for the talks and that they will meet with the Hurriyat leaders.
4.33 pm (IST): "India is not running away from dialogue on Kashmir. But it cannot happen now in an environment of violence."
4.31 pm (IST): "You are welcome to come for talks, but we have to talk about terrorism," says Sushma Swaraj.
4.30 pm (IST): "If you want to come for talks, Hurriyat leaders cannot be made stakeholders"
4.29 pm (IST): "Do they have any spirit of the Shimla agreement? They want Hurriyat leaders to be stakeholders in talks."
4.25 pm (IST): Pakistan has committed cease-fire violations 91 times since the Ufa agreement, Swaraj said.
4.23 pm (IST): "We had sent a notice for the NSA talks on 23 July. Pakistan sat on it for 22 days, and sent a reply on 14 August."
4.22 pm (IST): "Pakistan has been trying to ensure that NSA-level talks do not take place".
4.20 pm (IST): Pakistan does not want a composite dialogue. They only want to talk about Kashmir, says External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
4.11 pm (IST): Not all talks between India and Pakistan can be called a 'dialogue', says Swaraj.
3.58 pm (IST): External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is set to address the media on the NSA talks.
2.32 pm (IST): Meanwhile, Kashmir separatist Shabir Shah is still being detained in Delhi.
Separatist leader Shabir Shah detained at his residence in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/d0hwYSehqK
— ANI (@ANI_news) August 22, 2015
2.13 pm (IST): PM Modi's reference to terrorism in UAE was related to Yemen, not Pakistan, says Aziz.
2.07 pm (IST): Sartaj Aziz accuses India of ceasefire violations along the border.
2.05 pm (IST):
Nobody can deny the right of Kashmiris to self-determination and plebiscite. It is a real issue and India has to address it".
2.00 pm (IST): "India thinks terrorism is only a Pakistani issue. We have our own version, which we will share with the United Nations, too," says Aziz.
If I don't get opportunity to hand over the dossiers to Indian NSA in New Delhi, I hope to give it to him in New York next month if he comes
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 22, 2015
1.58 pm (IST): "The word 'K' is very much part of the agenda for talks. Kashmir is an outstanding issue between India and Pakistan," Aziz said.
I urge Mr.Modi to ponder over what I call most imp part of Ufa stmnt that India & Pak have collective responsibility to ensure peace:Pak NSA
— ANI (@ANI_news) August 22, 2015
1.50 pm (IST): "We will carry dossier of RAW's involvement in promoting terror in Pakistan," says Aziz.
1.50 pm (IST): "India introduced the condition of not allowing Hurriyat leaders to meet us. I am still prepared to go to Delhi if there are no such conditions," the Pakistani NSA said.
1.47pm (IST): "India's alibi is ironic that Pakistan was trying to distort the agenda for the talks. Leave it to India to cancel talks," Pakistan NSA Sartaj Aziz said.
Last year India canceled the talks btw foreign Secy scheduled for 25th August 2014 in Islamabad: Pak NSA Sartaj Aziz pic.twitter.com/gb5AKdeGT6
— ANI (@ANI_news) August 22, 2015
1.35 pm (IST): Pakistan NSA Sartaj Aziz is set to begin his press conference in Islamabad.
Uncertainty over NSA Level talks continue: Pak NSA Sartaj Aziz to address a press conference in Islamabad, shortly pic.twitter.com/s4j1dAL8RG
— ANI (@ANI_news) August 22, 2015
12.55 pm (IST): Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said India will not accept any change in agenda as decided in Ufa for the NSA talks.
India is only willing to hold talks on agenda that was agreed upon by both sides in Ufa, there can be no change in agenda: Rajnath Singh
— ANI (@ANI_news) August 22, 2015
12.33 pm (IST): Shabir Shah has been detained at Delhi airport, as per reports.
12.28 pm: Separatist leader Shabir Shah is set to arrive in Delhi shortly ahead of the scheduled NSA talks on Sunday.
12.25 pm (IST): Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is set to hold a press conference at 4 pm on Saturday, while Pakistani NSA Sartaj Aziz is set to address the media at 1.30 pm in Islamabad.