No use of dialogue with Pakistan till it shuns terrorism: BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday said there is no use of having a meaningful dialogue with Pakistan until that country shuns terrorism.

"India has made its stand aptly and amply clear right from the very beginning. Our stand is we intend to have friendship with all our neighbours provided the neighbours believe in peaceful co-existence," said BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra. Parta further said New Delhi had taken an initiative by inviting Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Ironically, Pakistan does not understand the meaning of peace. Until and unless it shuns terrorism and understands the meaning of peace, there is no use of a meaningful dialogue," he added.

According to reports, Prime Minister Modi will not be meeting his Pakistani counterpart on the sidelines of the ongoing 18th annual South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit in Kathmandu. Earlier on Sunday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin had said that India is for 'cooperative and peaceful ties' with Pakistan.

Akbaruddin had said that Prime Minister Modi is keen 'to have meaningful dialogues with as many south Asian colleagues as possible'. The Indian Government had earlier in August cancelled the Foreign Secretary-level talks after Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit held talks with Kashmiri separatists ahead of the proposed meeting.