NEW DELHI: Notwithstanding the chill in the ties over terror attacks, Pakistan today insisted that there is “no hostile environment” with India and expressed confidence that the two countries “will talk”.
Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit made the remarks to reporters at an Iftar party hosted by JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav which was attended by Vice President Hamid Ansari, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Union Ministers Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Harsimrat Kaur Badal besides Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Mr Naqvi, Minister of State for Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs, left immediately after Mr Basit walked into the venue.
“There is no hostile environment, for God’s sake. We are two neighbours. We have to talk and we will talk,” the Pakistan envoy said while responding to questions over terror attacks in Kashmir in which Pak-sponsored terrorists are allegedly involved.
India-Pakistan relations have been witnessing a chill over terror attacks like one on Pathankot Air Base.
Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad took on Mr Basit soon after he made these comments and said Pak-trained terrorists were killing soldiers in India.
“Despite this, Pakistan has complaints? This (India) country has a complaint that it is not acting against ISI, its army…,” he told reporters.
CPI general secretary Sudhakar Reddy and its lawmaker D Raja besides Jaiprakash Narayan Yadav were also present.
Congress is sharing power with JD(U) and RJD in Bihar.
PTI