Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Friday that Pakistan is ready to restart talks with India if New Delhi provides a road map towards restoring the previous status of the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.
“If there is a road map, then, yes, we will talk,” Mr. Khan told Reuters in Islamabad.
Previously, Mr. Khan and his government have held that India would have to first reverse its 2019 steps for any normalisation process to begin. “Even if they give us a road map, that these are the steps that we will take to basically undo what they did, which is illegal, against international law and United Nations resolutions... then that is acceptable,” Mr. Khan said.
India’s External Affairs Ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
Also read: Imran Khan calls for restoration of Article 370
Mr. Khan said he has always wanted a “civilised” and “open” relationship with India. “It is common sense that if you want to reduce poverty in the subcontinent, the best way is to trade with each other,” he said, referring to the example of the European Union.
Pakistan in March deferred a decision by its top economic decision-making body to restart trade with India until Delhi reviewed its moves in Kashmir.
He said India had crossed a “red line” by revoking the autonomy of Kashmir. “They have to come back for us to resume dialogue,” he said, adding, “at the moment there is no response from India”.
