Ready for talks with PM Modi: Pak PM Imran Khan

Making peace overtures, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said he was ready to hold talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi as he conceded that it was not in Islamabad’s interest to allow use of its territory for terror activities outside the country.

Mr. Khan was reportedly referring to India’s stance that terrorism and talks could not go together and that Pakistan needed to take effective and credible action to stop providing shelter and support to cross border terrorism from territories under its control.

“It is not in our interest to allow use of Pakistan’s territory for terror outside,” Mr. Khan said during an interaction with a group of Indian journalists here.

Mr. Khan said that people in Pakistan wanted peace with India and that he would be happy to meet Indian Prime Minister Modi and talk to him.

“The mindset of people here has changed,” Mr. Khan said.

When asked whether it is possible to resolve the Kashmir issue, the Pakistan Prime Minister said, “nothing is impossible” .

“I am ready for talks on any issue. There can’t be a military solution for Kashmir,” he said.

He, however, said the gesture for peace cannot be one-sided.

“We are willing to wait for (general) elections to get over in India for a gesture from New Delhi,” Mr. Khan said.

On punishing Mumbai attack mastermind and Jamat-ud Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed, who is carrying a $10 million U.S. bounty, Mr. Khan said, “there are UN sanctions against Hafiz Saeed. There is already a clampdown on him.”