RTFri, 01 Mar 2019 22:33 UTC
© Agence France-Presse/Sajad QayyumPakistani soldiers watch over potential Indian troop movements with binoculars at the Chakothi post near Pakistan-India border on February 23, 2019.
Islamabad is ready to hold talks with New Delhi after Russia offers mediation help, the Pakistani foreign minister said as cited by local media. It comes as tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations are running high.
Russia expressed its willingness to help ease hostilities between the two arch rivals on Thursday. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow will provide a place for Indo-Pakistani talks "if they wish to." Tipping his hat to the Kremlin, Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced his country is ready to talk.
"Lavrov has offered to mediate. I don't know about India but I want to say this to Russia that Pakistan is ready to come to the table and de-escalate tensions," Qureshi said.
India and Pakistan have been engaged in several air and ground skirmishes over the disputed region of Kashmir this week, raising fears over further escalation in the long-standing conflict.
Several nations, including the US, China, and Russia, called for restraint from both New Delhi and Islamabad. Apart from Russia, Turkey and Iran have also volunteered to mediate.
Comment: Shah Mehmood Qureshi at least, seems to understand the seriousness of the situation,
saying that all-out war with India would be 'mutual suicide':
Shah Mehmood Qureshi was quizzed by CNN's Christiane Amanpour about rising tensions between Pakistan and India, following a cross-border aerial operation launched by New Delhi aimed at eradicating a terrorist cell.
© Agence France-PressePakistan's Foreign MinisterShah Mehmood Qureshi
"Is this the kind of situation that, had it not de-escalated, could have tipped you both over the brink? Could you envision all-out war between India and Pakistan?" Amanpour asked.
"I hope not. That would be mutual suicide. Pakistan never wants to escalate, Pakistan never wants to be in a hostile position," Qureshi replied.
He said that Pakistan's new government under Prime Minister Imran Khan has offered to India that "if you take one step towards peace, we will take two." Pakistan, Qureshi stressed, "wants to live in peace, we have a people-centric agenda."
As a "peace gesture," Islamabad announced that an Indian Air Force Pilot shot down over Pakistani airspace will be released on Friday. The captured pilot was part of an Indian operation targeting Pakistani-based militants accused of attacking and killing over 40 Indian police officers in mid-February.
Despite claims by Islamabad that terrorists aren't welcome on its soil, India insists that Pakistan is not doing enough to contain the danger, promising to stand "like a rock to counter their evil designs."
Comment: Shah Mehmood Qureshi at least, seems to understand the seriousness of the situation, saying that all-out war with India would be 'mutual suicide':