India-Pakistan talks on Kashmir in Saudi Arabia? Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif says...

Will India and Pakistan hold talks in Saudi Arabia? Will the two countries discuss many issues, including Jammu and Kashmir and terrorism at a neutral venue? These questions have cropped up after Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told journalists that he is ready to discuss Jammu and Kashmir, the Indus Waters Treaty, bilateral trade and terrorism. According to Dawn, talking to a group of TV anchors at the PM House, Sharif said that "Kashmir, water, trade and terrorism will be the key points during the dialogue with India."

This has come days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a public meeting that talks and terrorism can not go together, as water and blood can not flow together. He also said that if talks are held, these may be held only on the vacation of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.  

(India targeted terrroist hideouts in Pakistan and PoK.)

Sharif rules out talks in China

When asked if the talks could be held at a neutral venue in a third country, the Pakistani Prime Minister ruled out the possibility of China as a neutral venue, saying India would never agree to that. He expressed the hope that Saudi Arabia could be the third country where both sides could agree to hold the negotiations. When it was pointed out that while India wants to hold talks on terrorism, Pakistan wants it on Jammu and Kashmir, Sharif said, "Kashmir, water, trade and terrorism will be the key points during Pakistan-India talks."

(India bombed terrorits hideouts in Pakistan and PoK during Operation Sindoor.)

Modi rules out talks with Pakistan

However, PM Modi has ruled out talks with Pakistan. Addressing a public meeting Thursday in Bikaner of Rajasthan, he said, "There will be neither trade nor talks with Pakistan; if talks, then only about Pakistan-occupied Kashmir."  Slamming Pakistan on terrorism, he said, "Pakistan incubates terrorists, and India will give a befitting reply. The time and methods will be decided by our armed forces." He said further that as Islamabad can not win a conventional war against India, it continues to rely on terror groups to target the country. A month after the Pahalgam terrorist attack, in which 26 unarmed civilians were killed, PM Modi openly adopted a hardline stance against Pakistan.

He emphasized that "India and Pakistan are not equal” and that any future dialogue would be held only on "the issue of terrorism and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and nothing more."  Hitting hard on Pakistan, PM Modi made many references to the word "Sindoor", which was the codename of the operation launched by Indian forces to destroy terror targets in Pakistan and PoK. He said, "Jo sindoor mitane nikle the, unhe mitti mein milaya hai (Those who tried to wipe Sindoor have been turned into dust)."