Aziz termed as nothing “further from the truth” the Indian External Affairs Ministry statement that Pakistan was trying to distort the agenda agreed at Ufa and imposing new conditions for the talks. “Pakistan, therefore, reiterates that the scheduled NSA level talks can not be held on the basis of the preconditions set by India”.

“We only reiterated that Pakistan respect the spirit of the Simla and Ufa Agreements to which it was already committed”. “The reason for this second cancellation if it is happening, would be the same: Why did the Pakistan High Commission invite 3 or 4 leaders from the Indian Occupied Kashmir to a reception organized in New Delhi on 23 August to enable me to meet a cross section of Indian political and business leaders“, he said.

Responding to a poser on Pakistan’s National Security Advisor Sartaj Aziz’s remark that he was deeply upset with the arrest of Hurriyat leaders, Abdullah said, “The point is that we want talks and if anybody obstructs those talks, they will have to face the music”.

The minister said Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif faced criticism on the Ufa statement soon after returning to his country and since then efforts have been underway to ensure that the NSA-level talks do not take place.

“On my part, I am still prepared to go to New Delhi for NSA talks without any preconditions”, Aziz said, accusing the Indian media of creating a controversy out of nothing.

India’s Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj told reporters on Saturday that Pakistan had until “tonight” to agree to an agenda that was restricted to discussions of “terror, and terror only”.

He said India had unilaterally cancelled the talks between the two Foreign Secretaries a year ago.

Aziz said the goal of the NSA talks was to achieve tranquility between the two countries.

However, after Pakistan called off the talks, it was India’s turn to have the last word.

He added that besides participating in the NSA level talks, Sartaj will also be meeting Hurriyat leaders.

“India cannot wish away that Kashmir is not an issue”.

Of late India has started projecting Pakistan’s proximity to the region’s separatists as a major hindrance in resolving issues with Pakistan, though the practice has been going on for quite a long time. “That is the core issue”, he said.

Sushma Swaraj also said Pakistan did not give a date for the meeting of the two DGMOs (directors general of military operations) or the meeting between the directors general of the Border Security Force and the Pakistan Rangers.

“Is it conceivable that India would cancel first ministerial meeting on such a flimsy grounds relating to meeting with Hurriyat leaders”, he said.