US says it supports direct Pakistan-India talks

WASHINGTON: United States (US) State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller on Wednesday asserted that the country always supports direct dialogue between India and Pakistan on ‘issues of concern’, ARY News reported.

In Washington, ARY News correspondent Jahanzaib Ali asked Matthew Miller about Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif’s willingness to talk to India on bilateral problems “if India is ready to address serious matters”.

The state department spokesperson responded that the US always supports direct dialogue between India and Pakistan on ‘issues of concern’.

In response to a question about possibility of disqualification of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, Miller reiterated that the United States (US) do not take positions of supporting ‘one candidate or another in other country’.

However, the spokesperson said, the country supports free, open and fair elections in a country.

A day earlier, PM Shehbaz Sharif asserted that Pakistan was ready to talk with neigbhour, apparently referring to India, on serious matters as wars were no solution to issues.

“Pakistan was ready to talk to neigbhour, if there were serious matters on the table as wars were no solution to issues,” the prime minister said in an apparent reference to India while addressing inaugural session of “Pakistan Minerals Summit” in Islamabad.

PM Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan was keen to maintain friendly ties with all the countries for the mutual benefits of their people.

The premier regretted that three wars were imposed on Pakistan in the last 75 years, saying that these had generated more poverty and lack of resources which otherwise, had been spent on the development and prosperity of their people.

“The neigbours have to understand that unless abnormalities are removed, normalcy cannot take place and the serious issues should be addressed through serious discussions,” he emphasised.